Debbie Bramwell
Encyclopedia
Debbie Bramwell is a professional female bodybuilder
from the United States
.
, Armenian
, Romanian, Russian
and French
ancestry. While in school she excelled on the girls' softball team as a pitcher and claims that she was able to defeat most of the boys in her classes at arm wrestling
. After obtaining credentials as a beautician she moved first to Phoenix, Arizona
and later to La Jolla, California where she eventually started her bodybuilding career.
She made her first National-level appearances in 2002, placing fifth in her class at the USA Championship and has been a consistent top five finisher ever since.
In 2006 and 2007 she won the Masters National Lightheavyweight Championship and in 2007 she won the overall title at that competition giving her professional status.
Debbie is relatively small for a professional bodybuilder, standing just 5'2" and competing at a bodyweight of 138-140 lb. It is not unusual for her to compete against women who outweigh her by up to 40 pounds. She is, however, arguably one of the most muscular women in the sport for her height-to-weight ratio. She is widely respected for her conditioning and is especially admired for her upper body development. She has remarkable biceps
and triceps development for a woman of her stature, with her flexed arm measuring roughly 15.5 inches.
Originally from New Jersey
, Debbie now lives in Alabama
.
, which focused on professional female bodybuilder Joanna Thomas
. She was the subject of the documentary Winning Big which follows her as she trains for and eventually wins the 2007 NPC Masters National Championship in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
Female bodybuilding
Female bodybuilding is the female component of competitive bodybuilding. It began in the late 1970s when women began to take part in bodybuilding competitions.-Beginnings:...
from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Early childhood and education
She was born on June 6, 1966 in Parsippany, New Jersey and was educated in the local school system. She is of EnglishEnglish people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
, Romanian, Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
ancestry. While in school she excelled on the girls' softball team as a pitcher and claims that she was able to defeat most of the boys in her classes at arm wrestling
Arm wrestling
Arm wrestling is a sport with two participants. Each participant places one arm on a surface with their elbows bent and touching the surface, and they grip each other's hand...
. After obtaining credentials as a beautician she moved first to Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
and later to La Jolla, California where she eventually started her bodybuilding career.
Bodybuilding
She joined her first gym at age 26 just to stay in shape, but it soon became evident that she had the genetics for bodybuilding and, after some persuasion, she entered her first contest in March 1997. She won her class, as well as the Overall. Her early contest history consisted mainly of regional shows which culminated in an overall victory in the 2001 Borderstates Championship.She made her first National-level appearances in 2002, placing fifth in her class at the USA Championship and has been a consistent top five finisher ever since.
In 2006 and 2007 she won the Masters National Lightheavyweight Championship and in 2007 she won the overall title at that competition giving her professional status.
Debbie is relatively small for a professional bodybuilder, standing just 5'2" and competing at a bodyweight of 138-140 lb. It is not unusual for her to compete against women who outweigh her by up to 40 pounds. She is, however, arguably one of the most muscular women in the sport for her height-to-weight ratio. She is widely respected for her conditioning and is especially admired for her upper body development. She has remarkable biceps
Biceps
Biceps may refer to:*Biceps brachii muscle, a muscle located on the inside of the upper arm*Biceps femoris muscle, one of the hamstring muscles of the back of each thigh*Biceps , a point in a metrical pattern...
and triceps development for a woman of her stature, with her flexed arm measuring roughly 15.5 inches.
Originally from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, Debbie now lives in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.
Media appearances
Debbie was a prominent character in the Learning Channel's documentary Supersize SheSupersize She
Supersize She was a documentary focused on professional female bodybuilder Joanna Thomas. The title was a take-off on the success of the film Super Size Me. The one-hour program was broadcast in the United States on The Learning Channel and in United Kingdom on Five in 2005...
, which focused on professional female bodybuilder Joanna Thomas
Joanna Thomas
Joanna Thomas is a professional female bodybuilder, now living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.- Biography :Joanna was born on 12 December 1976 in Truro, England. She became interested in bodybuilding at age 14 when she saw a bodybuilding magazine that belonged to a college student who was staying...
. She was the subject of the documentary Winning Big which follows her as she trains for and eventually wins the 2007 NPC Masters National Championship in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.
Contest history
- 1997 San Diego Championships - 1st (HW & Overall)
- 1997 Los Angeles Championships - 1st (MW)
- 1997 Borderstates - 1st (LW)
- 1999 San Diego - 1st (MW)
- 2000 Borderstates - 1st (MW)
- 2001 Borderstates - 1st (MW & Overall)
- 2002 NPCNational Physique CommitteeThe National Physique Committee is the largest amateur bodybuilding organization in the United States. Amateur bodybuilders compete in various competitions from local to national competitions sanctioned by the NPC...
USA Championship - 5th (MW) - 2003 NPC USA Championship - 4th (MW)
- 2004 NPC USA Championship - 3rd (LHW)
- 2004 NPC Nationals - 6th (LHW)
- 2005 NPC USA Championship - 8th (LHW)
- 2005 North American Championship - 5th (LHW)
- 2006 Masters Nationals - 1st (LHW)
- 2006 NPC USA Championship - 4th (LHW)
- 2006 North American Championship - 3rd (LHW)
- 2007 Masters Nationals - 1st (LHW)
- 2007 Masters Nationals - Overall - NPC Pro Card
- 2007 Europa Supershow - 2nd (LW) (Pro Debut)
- 2007 Atlantic City Pro - 5th (LW)
- 2008 New York Pro - 7th (tie - open class)
- 2008 Tampa Pro Show - 3rd (open class)
- 2008 Europa Supershow - 4th (LW)
- 2008 Ms Olympia - 13th
- 2009 New York Pro - 4h (open class)
- 2010 New York Pro - 4th (open class)
- 2010 Tampa Pro Show - 7th
- 2010 Hartford Europa Show - 5th
- 2011 Tampa Pro Show - 10th
- 2011 Hartford Europa Show - 7th