Anneliese - Figure competitor - The Gym Calendar

I lift weights and work out every day at "The Gym" which is located by Subway and A1 Glass on Gillette street in La Crosse. I have been lifting there for the last two and a half years so I have been able to meet and get to know most of the people that work out there, including the owner Mike Kaufmann. I am usually there by 9am most days and lift for an hour and a half or so, so I got the opportunity to get to know Mike pretty well. Mike knew I was a professional photographer, and I know he loves to fish, and one day Mike asked me for a favor, and the favor was to photograph his annual Gym Calendar.

The Gym Calendar is of and for the people that work out at the gym. Mike ask's some of the members that show a lot of progress in their training and had asked Anneliese to be in the calendar. He usually gives them a free month to workout, and then a copy of the calendar for themselves.


So Anneliese was the first shoot I had and by default she is "January", and we photographed all the images inside the gym with the models posing doing exercises and lifts for the calendar.

After I had photographed Anneliese the first time I got to know her a little bit and learned she drives from Rochester Minnesota 4-5 times a week to be trained by Ben Lasche, a professional trainer that works out and trains at "The Gym" every day with several clients that train on a regular basis, another guy named Brian drives from Richland Center.

Ben has been kickin' her butt for the last several months getting her in the best shape possible for a fitness/bodybuilding/figure competition May 1st, and another May 15th. When Anneliese first started training with Ben, she weighed around 150lbs and he got her down to around 128lbs for the show this weekend in Madison.

These are the two secondary images from the bottom portion of the calendar, she weighed around 150 lbs in these images:

After crazy dieting, and extremely hard training with Ben, she looks great, feels great, hasn't had a carb in a few days and is READY TO EAT REAL FOOD!

Here are some images we photographed last week between her two shows. Look at the progress she has made!

Ben told me this morning before she showed up for her last workout before the show this weekend in Madison,she has cut more weight since we photographed last. Good luck this weekend at your show Anneliese!!

Everyone should stop down at "The Gym" check out the atmosphere, the rates, talk to a couple people that lift there and ask them what they like about it, and also if you mention this blog post to Mike, the owner or you tell him Jared sent you, you'll get a free trial day pass, or just come and work out with me in the morning! Right on the corner of Gillette and Hwy 35 kiddy corner from A1 Glass and Subway. 608-779-7680 "The Gym"