Bernalillo woman crushes it in bodybuilding competition

BERNALILLO — Jonni Chavez-Mast returned to her Bernalillo home on the night of July 28 with the trophy from the Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders (OCB) Natural New Mexico Bodybuilding Competition clutched firmly in her hand.

Competitors from all over the state flooded to Revel Gym, 4720 Alexander Blvd. in Albuquerque, to take part in the OCB Natural New Mexico event, which consists of eight judged categories — Men's Bodybuilding, Figure, Bikini, Men’s Physique, Classic Physique, Women’s Physique, Wellness, Teen — and one non-judged event, Transformation, with several age brackets in each. Each category is further divided into subcategories and finally, into divisions based on height.

At the end of a grueling day of competition, Chavez-Mast, 24, walked away with the win, beating out more than a half dozen other women, in two different categories, and hoisting the coveted prize. The Bernalillo resident won in Novice “A” Bikini and Bikini Open “A”, and she took second place in Overall Bikini.

According to the dedicated OCB Natural competition website, “The OCB Natural Bodybuilding Championships are a celebration of raw talent, discipline and determination.”

Chavez-Mast trained for months for the competition, four months to be exact, and put in a champion-level effort to take the top prize. She is quick to give the credit to her longtime coach Valerie Johnson, who pushed her to her limit.

“It was the most rigorous and intense training I’ve done so far, hands down,” Chavez-Mast told the Observer. “It definitely took a lot of physical [effort] but even more mental strength. Just to get up every morning and do my cardio, and then work full time, and then go do my weight training. ... You are ready throw in the towel, but you keep going.”

OCB events can be difficult and are somewhat different from other bodybuilding competitions in the level of drug testing that is done.

“Unlike conventional bodybuilding events, OCB competitions adhere to strict drug-free policies. Competitors are rigorously tested to ensure they compete naturally, emphasizing the significance of genuine athleticism and hard work,” OCB Natural says on its site.

According to Chavez-Mast, OCB Natural New Mexico requires competitors to pay for their own drug tests and submit to numerous levels of scrutiny, including a polygraph test (aka a “lie-detector test”.) But she added that the OCB drug policy is the reason she chose to compete with them instead of other competitions.

“To me, it was important when picking a [bodybuilding] federation that it was a natural competition and drug-free,” said Chavez-Mast. “It was important for pushing myself to my fullest. I wanted to see where I could go, rather than where enhancements [could take me].”

Though Chavez-Mast does prefer a natural competition, she was quick to point out that she doesn’t have anything against competitions or competitors who do use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).

“Not to say that there’s anything wrong with [using PEDs], if that's the road you want to take, but for me, it was important to do it natural.”

Chavez-Mast said she does plan to compete next year, possibly in a different category, but for now she is resting and relaxing with family and friends and getting a long-anticipated bite to eat.

“Right now, I’m taking some much-needed down time to spend with friends and family ... and eating,” she said. “I’m looking at March 2025 for my next competition. I’m thinking I might do the Wellness Division, which is a lot more muscle development, and take some time to grow in the gym.”