237:, where she continued her pursuit of both track and gymnastics. That same year during a gymnastics training session, a local bodybuilder and wrestler Hillbillie Jim, best known for his matches with the World Federation Wrestling, approached her and solicited her participation in a local women's bodybuilding competition that he was promoting. She was at first hesitant since her first love was track and gymnastics, she had not seen herself competing in the realm of women's bodybuilding. After further conversation with Jim, she soon realized that she had the potential to be on the forefront in forging a direction for women in this sport, worldwide. There was yet another concern, the upcoming competition was only four weeks away. She was rewarded with a 2nd-place finish.
256:. She was about the only African American amongst the community. Needless to say she was quick to adapt to the appropriate attire and customs which helped her in being welcomed throughout the community. She brought many contributions to the community including the introduction of aerobics in the gym environment. She earned her pro card by winning the World Amateur championship in 1992.
248:
finally earned the right to compete in a national qualifier in women's bodybuilding. She began her rigorous training at the San
Clemente Gym where she received substantial support and encouragement from the gym regulars. Her first time out brought a third-place finish and a wealth of knowledge and experience that she would later use in placing 2nd in 1991 at the USA Nationals.
244:. She walked onto the track team and after exhibiting her skill level received a partial scholarship in pursuit of her education. In the meantime, she continued her interest in both women's bodybuilding and gymnastics, spending most of her free time in the gym training in pursuit of her athletic goals.
247:
In 1984, after finding that her scholarship had run out and with the pressures of additional family commitments
Yolanda faced a tough decision to leave her pursuit of academics and focus on her athletic abilities. That same year, because of her achieved status through local competition, she had
251:
While training at the San
Clemente Gym, Yolanda had little time for much else in her life, until she met and eventually married Thomas Heying, who was visiting the United States from Germany. Thomas later would return to Germany followed by her a few months later. She resided with Thomas in
219:
By her senior year in high school, Yolanda had competed at both the local and state level in track achieving various titles, mastering the 110 hurtles, 100 meters, long jump, and the 440 relay. Although her primary interest at the time was track, gymnastics allowed her to develop a sense of
211:
on
October 30, 1963. She was raised by her grandmother and was one of five children. Her grandmother wanted her to pursue her interest in gymnastics. As a youngster, she spent much of her time at the local youth center exploring her interests in sports and physical fitness. While attending
220:
well-being through an inner-focus and clear determination to succeed. She pursued gymnastics by training and competing both in local and state competitions. Eventually, she aspired to compete at the national level in hopes of her ultimate dream of becoming a world-class
Olympic gymnast.
451:, Hughes trained with a pole-dancing fitness instructor, who was a Ms. World Pole Fit champion who won the best contortionist category. In 2005, she opened a special training studio called Fitness Exotica in which she offers training and lessons to customers, such as in fitness and
268:
contests, placing second to Kim
Chizevsky-Nicholls at the 1998 Ms. Olympia. She would be featured in covers and stories in such publications as Muscle And Fitness, Flex, Female Bodybuilding, and Muscular Development.
697:
792:
747:
727:
578:
782:
797:
787:
737:
772:
742:
417:
400:
376:
366:
349:
332:
325:
318:
712:
762:
717:
767:
802:
702:
757:
752:
732:
520:
17:
777:
622:
707:
287:
234:
582:
213:
554:
444:
208:
75:
722:
643:
464:
440:
264:
In 1997 and 1998, Yolanda placed 1st in the Ms. International competition. She competed in six
162:
277:
After coming in third place at the 1999 Ms. International, Yolanda retired from bodybuilding.
448:
490:
692:
8:
253:
192:
241:
632:
427:
410:
393:
386:
359:
342:
233:
In 1981, after graduating high school, Yolanda was accepted with full scholarship to
147:
565:
240:
In 1982, Yolanda went to
California in support of her family, where she enrolled at
686:
196:
79:
674:
172:
39:
617:
420:
403:
379:
369:
352:
335:
265:
129:
602:
452:
216:, she excelled academically in the areas of psychology and geography.
581:. The Bellingham Business Journal. p. 1. Archived from
207:
Yolanda Hughes-Heying (born
Yolanda Hughes) was born in
296:
1988 NPC Orange County
Classic - 1st (HW & overall)
486:
484:
482:
191:(born October 30, 1963) is an American professional
479:
684:
550:
548:
443:. In 2001, she took up pole-dancing classes in
546:
544:
542:
540:
538:
536:
534:
532:
530:
528:
458:
293:1988 NPC Los Angeles Championship - 2nd (HW)
698:American expatriate sportspeople in Germany
525:
113:Off-Season: 155–164 lb (70–74 kg)
111:In Season: 140–145 lb (64–66 kg)
793:20th-century African-American sportspeople
748:Sportspeople from Murfreesboro, Tennessee
728:Sportspeople from Bellingham, Washington
670:
667:
660:
651:
648:
639:
630:
576:
579:"Fitness Exotica Owner: Yolanda Hughes"
14:
685:
463:Yolanda made a cameo in the 2002 film
223:
516:
514:
512:
510:
508:
506:
504:
502:
500:
498:
783:21st-century African-American people
311:1991 NPC USA Championship - 2nd (HW)
305:1990 NPC USA Championship - 4th (HW)
302:1989 NPC USA Championship - 5th (HW)
299:1988 NPC USA Championship - 6th (HW)
798:20th-century African-American women
788:21st-century African-American women
24:
773:Western Kentucky University alumni
743:Sportspeople from Detmold (region)
495:
280:
25:
814:
611:
738:People from Gütersloh (district)
434:
259:
623:Yolanda Hughes Fitness Exotica
596:
570:
559:
13:
1:
713:African-American bodybuilders
472:
314:1991 NPC Nationals - 3rd (HW)
308:1990 NPC Nationals - 3rd (HW)
272:
763:Sportspeople from California
718:American female bodybuilders
202:
7:
768:Sportspeople from Tennessee
439:Yolanda currently lives in
235:Western Kentucky University
10:
819:
803:Sportspeople from Kentucky
703:African-American actresses
228:
758:Saddleback College alumni
753:Professional bodybuilders
566:ALL ABOUT YOLANDA HUGHES!
459:Motion picture appearance
178:
168:
158:
140:
122:
117:
107:
85:
59:
51:
46:
37:
32:
577:Schiller, Heidi (2005).
328:World Amateur - 1st (HW)
321:World Amateur - 2nd (HW)
214:Murfreesboro High School
189:Yolanda R. Hughes-Heying
445:Los Angeles, California
209:Murfreesboro, Tennessee
76:Murfreesboro, Tennessee
644:Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls
441:Bellingham, Washington
163:Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls
103: in (1.69 m)
733:People from Gütersloh
603:Yolanda Hughes-Heying
449:Vancouver, Washington
290:Ironmaiden - 2nd (HW)
33:Yolanda Hughes-Heying
778:American sportswomen
27:American bodybuilder
254:Guetersloh, Germany
224:Bodybuilding career
118:Professional career
708:American actresses
491:Yolanda R H Heying
242:Saddleback College
193:female bodybuilder
681:
680:
633:Ms. International
428:Ms. International
411:Ms. International
394:Ms. International
387:Ms. International
360:Ms. International
343:Ms. International
186:
185:
148:Ms. International
16:(Redirected from
810:
628:
627:
605:
600:
594:
593:
591:
590:
574:
568:
563:
557:
552:
523:
518:
493:
488:
102:
101:
97:
94:
73:
70:October 30, 1963
69:
67:
42:
30:
29:
21:
818:
817:
813:
812:
811:
809:
808:
807:
683:
682:
672:
662:
653:
641:
614:
609:
608:
601:
597:
588:
586:
575:
571:
564:
560:
553:
526:
519:
496:
489:
480:
475:
461:
437:
283:
281:Contest history
275:
262:
231:
226:
205:
112:
99:
95:
92:
90:
74:
71:
65:
63:
38:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
816:
806:
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
780:
775:
770:
765:
760:
755:
750:
745:
740:
735:
730:
725:
720:
715:
710:
705:
700:
695:
679:
678:
669:
668:Second (1998)
666:
658:
657:
650:
647:
637:
636:
626:
625:
620:
618:Yolanda Hughes
613:
612:External links
610:
607:
606:
595:
569:
558:
555:Yolanda Hughes
524:
494:
477:
476:
474:
471:
460:
457:
436:
433:
432:
431:
424:
414:
407:
397:
390:
383:
373:
363:
356:
346:
339:
329:
322:
315:
312:
309:
306:
303:
300:
297:
294:
291:
282:
279:
274:
271:
261:
258:
230:
227:
225:
222:
204:
201:
184:
183:
180:
176:
175:
170:
166:
165:
160:
156:
155:
154:
153:
150:
142:
138:
137:
136:
135:
132:
124:
120:
119:
115:
114:
109:
105:
104:
87:
83:
82:
61:
57:
56:
53:
49:
48:
44:
43:
35:
34:
26:
18:Yolanda Hughes
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
815:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
776:
774:
771:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
731:
729:
726:
724:
723:Living people
721:
719:
716:
714:
711:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
690:
688:
677:
676:
671:Succeeded by:
665:
659:
656:
652:Succeeded by:
649:First (1997)
646:
645:
638:
635:
634:
629:
624:
621:
619:
616:
615:
604:
599:
585:on 2008-03-12
584:
580:
573:
567:
562:
556:
551:
549:
547:
545:
543:
541:
539:
537:
535:
533:
531:
529:
522:
517:
515:
513:
511:
509:
507:
505:
503:
501:
499:
492:
487:
485:
483:
478:
470:
468:
467:
456:
454:
450:
446:
442:
435:Personal life
429:
425:
422:
419:
415:
412:
408:
405:
402:
398:
395:
391:
388:
384:
381:
378:
374:
371:
368:
364:
361:
357:
354:
351:
347:
344:
340:
337:
334:
330:
327:
323:
320:
316:
313:
310:
307:
304:
301:
298:
295:
292:
289:
285:
284:
278:
270:
267:
257:
255:
249:
245:
243:
238:
236:
221:
217:
215:
210:
200:
198:
197:United States
194:
190:
181:
177:
174:
171:
167:
164:
161:
157:
152:1997 and 1998
151:
149:
145:
144:
143:
139:
133:
131:
127:
126:
125:
121:
116:
110:
106:
88:
84:
81:
80:United States
77:
72:(age 60)
62:
58:
54:
50:
47:Personal info
45:
41:
36:
31:
19:
675:Vickie Gates
673:
663:
661:Preceded by:
654:
642:
640:Preceded by:
631:
598:
587:. Retrieved
583:the original
572:
561:
465:
462:
438:
276:
263:
260:Professional
250:
246:
239:
232:
218:
206:
188:
187:
182:Retired 1999
173:Vickie Gates
693:1963 births
421:Ms. Olympia
404:Ms. Olympia
380:Ms. Olympia
370:Ms. Olympia
353:Ms. Olympia
336:Ms. Olympia
266:Ms. Olympia
159:Predecessor
130:Ms. Olympia
40:Bodybuilder
687:Categories
589:2007-09-28
473:References
466:Rollerball
273:Retirement
89:5 ft
66:1963-10-30
453:stripping
203:Biography
195:from the
169:Successor
123:Pro-debut
141:Best win
52:Nickname
664:Herself
655:Herself
229:Amateur
98:⁄
382:- 10th
355:- 11th
179:Active
108:Weight
86:Height
447:. In
430:- 3rd
426:1999
423:- 2nd
416:1998
413:- 1st
409:1998
406:- 3rd
399:1997
396:- 1st
392:1997
389:- 4th
385:1996
375:1995
372:- 8th
365:1994
362:- 3rd
358:1994
348:1993
345:- 5th
341:1993
338:- 8th
331:1992
324:1992
317:1991
286:1984
146:IFBB
128:IFBB
418:IFBB
401:IFBB
377:IFBB
367:IFBB
350:IFBB
333:IFBB
326:IFBB
319:IFBB
134:1992
60:Born
55:Goyo
521:Bio
288:NPC
689::
527:^
497:^
481:^
469:.
455:.
199:.
78:,
68:)
592:.
100:2
96:1
93:+
91:6
64:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.