Kelsie Holmes, a native Arkansan, has spent nearly 10 years building her community here in Memphis through bodybuilding. Kelsie shifted from being a dancer and cheerleader in high school to going to the gym for independent workouts in college, and like many women, she thought cardio should be her only focus. While suffering from an eating disorder in her early 20s, Kelsie thought that being as skinny as possible was the only way to look and feel good. Having recovered and found a passion for bodybuilding, Kelsie prioritizes her health and seeing her muscles grow.
Kelsie’s interest in weightlifting began when she saw the strong, healthy women she admired at the gym and how powerful they looked during their workouts. “Once I got to a healthier mental place, I realized that I wanted to look and feel stronger, focus on my nutrition and metabolism, and I saw amazing changes in my physique,” Kelsie remembers.
After she moved to Memphis in 2015, Kelsie met trainer Kristy Fenster-Avery, began lifting weights with a structured plan, and soon began training for her first bikini competition. As her bodybuilding coach, Kristy develops Kelsie’s meal plan and workouts and alters her intake and output based on weekly or biweekly physique check-ins and the competition schedule. However, as much as she encourages physical growth in her clients, Kelsie’s coach also encourages her clients to grow mentally.
“My coach expects a lot out of her athletes, but she cares more about you as a person and your character,” Kelsie says. “She is a tough coach who expects you to do the work, but she wants your character and heart to change for the better as your physique changes, too.”
Since her first bikini competition in June 2017, Kelsie has been competing consistently, with periodic breaks and growth seasons in between. During preparation for competitions, Kelsie trains strictly for 16-20 weeks, focusing on cutting fat through diet and cardio without losing muscles grown during her prior growth season. During growth season, she takes the feedback from judges of her previous competition to determine the areas that need the most focus and muscle growth. “In growth season, you set yourself up for your next competition. If you don’t stay consistent, you won’t see changes in your physique,” she says.
Kelsie has worked out at The Yard in Arlington since 2020, and she raves about the atmosphere and camaraderie, as well as their state-of-the-art facility and equipment. “The community is one of my favorite parts of the sport, but it can also be a very selfish pursuit,” Kelsie says. “The mental toughness required for training, food consumption, and energy balance can be a lot without a good community backing you up and cheering you on.”
You can keep up with Kelsie and her fitness progress on Instagram @kelsieh2 or learn more about the YARD Gym at their website: Theyard901.com.
By Zoe Harrison
Photo by Tindall Stephens
