By Laura Medina
Sure, most of the general public may be going nuts over this Sunday's WWE Summer Slam match between John Cena and Daniel Bryan, a David versus Goliath scenario as an headlier or a same storyline with CM Punk, the everyday guy, battling Brock Lesnar.
Natalya versus Brie Bella.
But the true story this Sunday night is E!'s cast members from their brand new reality show, "Total Divas," duking it out in the ultimate catfight, Natalya (the first third-generation woman wrestler) versus the upstart Bella Twins, Nikki and Brie Bella. Extra host, Maria Menounos (http://www.wwe.com/videos/maria-menounos-talks-about-her-upcoming-summerslam-axxess-match-with-the-divas-26140519) is partnering up with Natalya in the ring. This is going to be the ultimate and boundary-busting showcase of women as trained athletes and professional wrestlers groomed by the WWE's top trainers and coaches from it's state-of-the art Performance Center.
This is match isn't just about women athletes. This "Total Diva" match represents the newest crop of WWE wrestlers-women.
This saga of the WWE's latest wrestlers doesn't end there. Immediately after the championship, you all can switch over to E! and watch what it really takes to be a "diva" on "Total Divas" at 10pm on http://www.eonline.com/shows/total_divas.
Third-generation and wrestling legacy, Natalya said what she brings into the ring this Sunday, WWE, and "Total Divas" is legacy, the history, and the first-hand experience of growing up in a family of wrestlers, experience and respect...
"My family’s background gave
me a huge advantage but also pushed me to work even harder. That’s what I’m really bringing to the table Sunday, lineage and respect."
"That’s what I bring to the
WWE and “Total Divas,” having gone through a lot of things and being born and
raised in a family of WWE wrestlers, I’ve really seen it all and behind the
scenes, the high-highs, the low-lows.
This is what I’m really gonna bring to the ring this Sunday at Summer
Slam. My experience. The fact that Brie Bella calls herself a
veteran yet she doesn’t know what a veteran is."
On witnessing the evolution of women's wrestling from Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW) to E!'s "Total Divas," Natalya, "In the WWE, things change all
the time. In the women’s division, we
are always changing and evolving. Total
Divas is very symbolic of that. We’re
always growing and changing and we’re breaking all the barriers and we’re
proving that. Women kick ass."
During a lavish and ladylike WWE luncheon at The London, the ladies of "Total Divas" tells you what it really takes to be a "Total Divas." These tight and sexy lady athletes prove looks are deceiving then they will tell you what it takes to be a fit and fabulous "Total Diva."
The beautiful hottie and toughie, Eva Marie graciously explains there is a science in how to throw it down. She is not fooling around with the dedication and discipline in what it takes to be a "Total Divas"...
On the WWE
Development Center as the new Movie Studio where WWE stars are groomed...
"The
Performance Center is amazing. When I first started training, I went to Tampa
for the facilities. Now, I live in
Orlando, Jojo and I so we can train at the facilities. It is state-of-the art. We have 7 rings
across. We cross-train. Locker room, we have our own personal space to watch
films, cut promos. Basically, it makes you perfect hopefully. There is no excuse for us to perform at our
best because it is literally at our fingertips.
Like if you walk into that place and not feel motivated or inspired,
then you are doing the wrong thing."
"You
have to hit that ground running…100%.
When you walk into that door, it’s on.
You have to look at it, not only are we training to become the top
female WWE Superstar. When you walk into
our locker room, you will see the superstars on the wall. We see the John Cena…the
old legends. So, it’s like super inspiring to do the best that you can, so you
better bring it on 110% because whoever is in there is doing the same or else…"
Conditioning the Mind and Body through Condition
Training…
"When
you are in the ring, we break everything down. We break our moves down. So,
like when we do our strength and conditioning which is, we do cardio, your
lifting, your circuit training, then when we are in the ring, we have to break
it down. Step by step, doing your basic headlock takeover so your body gets
used to it. It’s not easy, you know like taking a bump. For the first time, you
can’t prepare for that. So, ring
training is completely different from working out in the gym."
"Everything
is mapped out. You need to learn how to
take a fall. You need to learn how to
take a bump. All these moves are very
serious so you don’t hurt yourself.
Literally, we do baby steps.
First, we start out rolling because your body needs to adjust to that in
doing so you can graduate to takeover, flipping over a girl, doing an arm
drag. Being able to take that bump
safely. This is our major thing, safety
first. Every time we train, it’s safety
first."
On the realities of being a pro wrestler...
"One of
the biggest thing and what’s awesome about E!’s “Total Diva” is that you’ll be
to see our good days and bad days. For
instance, Jojo in Episode 2, will get a concussion. So, it’s like, not everyone can do this job because
it is this serious. Taking a body slam
is not joke. You better know the proper
way to do or else, you know, things happen. Concussions are somethings that happen and
unfortunately, it happened to her. Thank god, she recovered quickly and she’s
good. It goes to show that everything
that we do is difficult. It’s just not easy-breezy. 100% difficult."
Fit & Fabulous...and Fun, Naomi of "The Funkadactyls" showing off what she eats at luncheon.
Looking at the fit but curvy physiques of the "Total Divas" whether it be skimpy wrestling outfits or skimming cocktail dresses, everybody's mind in on what's important...how to get their "tight butts."
One half of the cheerleading/wrestling duo, Naomi of "The Funkadactyls," say it's all about being balanced and staying sane as a key to a having a hot bod with a happy attitude...and admitting yes, she and fellow wrestlers are human too...
"I normally do 30-45 minutes of cardio. 1 day, I’ll do upper body then I’ll work the
abs, the chest, the biceps, the triceps.
The next day, I’ll do the lower body."
"Sometimes, I’ll
bust out 3 days in a row. Other
times, I’ll do every other days to give your muscles time to heal then I’ll
work the lower body. I’ll alternate
upper body, lower body, upper body, lower body. Then, I’ll do 30-45 minutes of cardio. I’m not gonna lie and say I do it everyday but I’ll say I
do 3 to 4 times a week, depends on how I feel."
She admits the wrestlers are lucky to be blessed with natural muscle development which burns fat as fuel and having a high metabolism. But the real key to staying fit and fab is the WWE's tough and high fitness standards...
"Being athletic is the requirement of
our jobs, is to be fit, to be in shape and to be healthy. Working out is something that we all do."
"It all depends on your body type. I think I’m very blessed. As long as I work out a little, I’m ok. I’m happy with the way I look. Some people have to work out harder than
others, depends on what you want to look like.
What you’re trying to accomplish."
"For me, I’m pretty muscular naturally that gives me a
little more leeway in how I work out and when I work out."
Even Naomi says she needs her "guilty snack" once and awhile in order to stay sane so she can practice and focus on her specialized training. Even with her weakness for fast food, Naomi proves everything is possible as long as you stick to your exercise regiment...
"Me, personally, I like my snacks. I like to eat. I try to work 3 to 5 times a
week. Sometimes, it happens. Sometimes, it doesn’t but, fitness is very
important in my life. It is more about
quantity (portions) and not over-eating, just watching what you eat. I pretty much whatever I want but not too
much of it. You need energy when you go to the ring so eating is a big part of
my life and what we do. You gotta stay
healthy. You gotta eat right. I love MacDonald’s. On my God, I love them cheeseburgers with
Special Sauce on them. Oh, I love the
Extra-Large Fries with them but it’s about finding that balance. Because I work out everyday, if I want to eat
it, I can eat it."
As for looking good in the ring...
"For the ring, sometimes we have makeup artists
there. Sometimes, I like doing it myself. I normally use MAC makeup. The glitter, I just started using this
recently. It’s NYX. Other than that, I am a die-hard MAC girl. I love MAC. I wear it all the time."
"My skin is so sensitive that whenever I use anything, I
break-out. I use baby oil to remove the
makeup then I just clean it with water.
I have dry skin."
Naomi's "The Funkadactyls" partner, Cameron shares the same approach to eating healthy.
"To
be completely honest, I feel that I eat whatever I want. I feel that…everybody’s body is different. Some people have to eat very healthy and have
strict regiment in the gym. But for me,
even when I tell my fans, life is too short is to enjoy food, love food. It’s all about going to the gym and
exercising. Not only to be fit but to be
healthy, to live longer. So for me, I can eat whatever I want, work out 3 to 4
times a week with a personal trainer. It’s
circuit training so it’s quick, not very light weights, very fast, to the next
program."
"Everybody
enjoys themselves. Some of the girls do
a stricter diet. Everybody’s body shape
is different. "
It doesn't hurt to have the required athletic background and a pushy mom to push you to work out...
"Thank goodness to my mom because I have great genetics. My mom is very intent into fitness and health. She works out 5 days a week. Actually, she’s the one who pushes me. When I’m complaining about “being too tired from out on the road,” Her mother, “Nope, let’s go to the gym. Let’s work out together.” My mom is my best friend. She’s like everything to me. Actually, she’s the one who I look up to and what I want to be like when I grow up at her age, because she’s like an amazing woman. She’s going to be 50 this year. She looks phenomenal."
On why becoming a "Total Diva,"...
"My background originally, I run track in high school. I cross-country then I got 2 degrees, 1 in psychology, 1 in business marketing. So, I figured why not use all that, be an empowering woman, be intelligent with an athletic background and be an entertainer-why not?! Have all! That’s what a WWE Diva is…a total package where we’re empowering, we’re role models. We are intelligent. We are beautiful. We are everything."
Now onto the baby...baby sister of the WWE family, nineteen years-old Jojo.
Despite her tiny stature, she can buzz and sting like a bumblebee. What she lacks in mass, Jojo makes up for it in specializing tumbles, flips and high-flies,...
"Looks are very deceiving.
They’ll be very surprised when they see what I can do. My specialties are the flips, the turns, and the
aerials stuff. I love the flips, the turns, and the high-flying action."
"I’m really small. I’m only 5 ft. tall. I’m really short. Those are the things I can do. I can jump. I can fly very
high. I’m very agile in that way. I
think the whole wrestling thing works for me. It’s not easy this whole wrestling thing but I can think
I can handle it. I think I can do well, being in the ring."
She's pretty agile but she's aware she has to change her routine and add on more skills if she is going to mature up the ranks...
"Trainers at the Performance Center know how to train each
and everyone’s body. They go over with
you. If there are things I need to work
on, they will work with me to work on that.
It’s all about communicating with the trainers, telling them I’m
changing in this way and I need to work on my legs. So, it’s all about the matter of
communications and knowing how I feel. I’m so lucky to have the top trainers in the world at my
age…oh my god, yes."
Going straight from high school to WWE "Total Divas,"...
"I did go for an audition with WWE and I did audition. I
went through the whole wrestling training program and I fell in love with it immediately
so, I just keep at it. I did eventually did get picked up for the developmental
program. Then after that, I was told
about Total Divas. I went in. I showed my personality and they love me. I am tough. For all my life, I did a lot of sports. I did basketball,
volleyball. My main focus was running
track. So, I always been athletic. I’ve always been the girly-girl type. I’m so
small so people say you’re so cute but I can swept in that ring."
"Mom is so proud and happy because this is what I was
meant to be, an entertainer. We’re both
very religious. I’m very happy that I made her proud."
When it comes to her food regiment, she takes an opposite approach to "The Funkadactyls"...
"It’s very hard to being on the road but I try very hard
not to eat fast food on the road. I try to cut down on soda as much as
possible. I really see it as a balance,
you gotta balance when it comes to eating. You don’t necessarily go on a
diet. Some people do go on diets to
maintain but as long as I watch what I eat, I can eat whatever I want so long as I burn what I eat. So, I’m
ok. I have a very fast metabolism."
A teenaged "Total Diva" skincare routine...
"I wash my face a lot. It’s really hard because we’re
constantly wearing makeup and the sweating and you’re out on the ring. IT’s very difficult but I make sure every
night, I take off all my makeup. I wash
my face with soap; and I have this
special face cream that I don’t know what it’s called but my mom gets it for
me. She needs to stock it up for me."
From another female wrestling legacy watching the evolution, Stephanie McMahon, the woman behind the "Total Divas"...
"I think Divas, as we call them, because they are so
much more than professional wrestlers,
it truly evolved. Back in the days,
women were just valet or were participants in GLOW. Very stereotypical presentations of what
women were supposed to be for this organization. But now here in the WWE, we are about
empowering women. Women are about women
who are strong who are the most
incredible athletes you could ever imagined.
They’re professional athletes. They’re smart, well-spoken, articulate,
athletes. They have this character that
they play on the show and in the WWE Program, they have these characters. “Total Divas” is the real life look of who
they really are."
If you miss this Sunday's Summer Slam, you can make up for it by catching "Total Divas" on E! at 10pm.
Even if you're not a big wrestling fan, these ladies' honesty, warmth, and dedication to health will inspire you to some degree to be your own fit and fab diva.
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