Boys, Obey The Booty! Ladies, let's talk boys. When having conversations around being successful in this sport, quite often we pay attention to workouts and having a supportive coach. But having a supportive partner should be part of the conversation too. As Nishan Panwar once said, the best possible thing you can get out of a relationship is that you’re with someone who encourages you to be the best version of yourself every day.  If you have tasted it, you know this sport is involving. Therefore, having someone to cheer you on in your triumphs and uplifting you while you are in the dumps is quite important. It is possible to have the best workout schedule, the best coach, but still fail for being with the wrong person. Having emotional and psychological support from your partner creates an environment that shapes your success. As such, what qualities should you look out for in a man? How do you differentiate between someone who is supportive and someone who is not supportive? Let's find out with Michelle Hurst.  Michelle Hurst is an IFBB Bikini Pro, a certified personal trainer, and coach based in San Jose, California. She is 4X Bikini Champion and was the IFBB Bikini Pro Champion in the first-ever IFBB Bikini Pro show in the Philippines. Together with her husband, they own Team Handsome Muscle a bodybuilding, contest prep, lifestyle fitness, and one on one personal training company that's geared towards guiding others to live their life to the fullest while achieving their ideal physique. Michelle has 44 shows under her belt spreading over the six years she has successfully competed. She owns a line of booty bands, famously known as Obey the Booty.  In this episode, we are talking boys. Not just any boy but the ideal partner for the stage. This journey is a tough one and it takes a special kind of person to handle what we go through. So today, we're going to discuss important qualities Michelle has found in her husband. Additionally, Michelle will share tips on how to differentiate between a supportive partner and a non supportive one. We will also discuss her hardships when she was younger and how her family emigrated to America.  Stay until the end for a chance to win a booty band.  Let’s go!   Takeaways You have the power to turn things around Do not give up  Do your best to accomplish whatever you set your mind to do  Believe in yourself  You must put in the work  Communicate with your partner Always figure out what is important to you and your relationship  Be honest with each other It's not about just you, it's about both of you Always talk to the coaches and judges to find out what they want you to really work on  Take the judges feedback and tweak accordingly  Be 110% mentally committed You need to have a tough skin while in this sport Make sure your finances are taken care of Free stuff doesn't mean you are sponsored; get paid   Important Questions [00:05:12] How many years have you been competing?  [00:08:11] When and where did you get your pro card? [00:14:47] Why do you compete?  [00:20:44] Can you give us a little bit of how the Philippines is versus how America is and how your life changed coming here?  [00:23:56] How did your love for fitness come about? [00:28:04] How do you guys deal with your relationship while competing?  [00:35:02] What do you think is the difference between someone who is actually being supportive and someone who is just going with the flow? [00:37:41] How do you find the perfect man to date while you're in prep? [00:37:56] What qualities do you think that a man has to have in order to be able to handle what we go through as competitors? [00:42:01] What do you think are the benefits of competing abroad? [00:45:51] Is there any shows that you recommend if someone wanted to compete abroad? [00:47:39] Would you say there is a strategy to choosing shows once you become a professional?  [00:52:18] Tell us a little bit about your Obey the Booty. Why exactly did you come up with this? [00:54