Mind Fertilizer Finds A (Female) Body Fertilizer

She’s a maniac in the gym as the cable crossovers ravage her anterior delts and wreck her pecs. I, frankly, find it difficult to concentrate. A woman this pretty, this tan, this tone, well, this kinda woman isn’t really supposed to exist. (Don’t believe me? See picture below.)

Naturally, my, ahem, professional instincts kick in; I’ve got to get to know this woman, er, I’ve got to introduce this woman to McKinney. I watch as she moves to the leg press. More insanity. Down goes the weight, her quads straining. She let’s out a small grunt and pushes the weight back up. When she’s not “pushing weight,” she’s on her feet running in place between sets.

This chick’s freaking insane, I keep telling myself.

Back on the leg press she goes, her legs streaked with little rivers of sweat cascading from her ankles to her thighs. She towels off and moves to the leg extensions, her cap pulled low over her eyes, headphones planted in her ears.

I make my move. I’m a little intimidated. I wave my hand in front of a head that is turned down watching a pair of quadriceps strain to defeat the pull of gravity a couple more times.

She stops. My awkward moment of truth has arrived. “Hey, I’m a reporter,” I tell her. “Can I talk to you?”

Throughout the course of several conversations, the 29-year-old Ashley “Badash” Reese (yes, she likes the nickname) tells me her story. She’s been involved in athletics since childhood. A severe accident while snowboarding (competitive snowboarding, she specifies) led her to rehab and a ridiculous weight training regimen that found her, among other things, leading boot camp exercise classes on the beaches of Maui as a certified personal trainer – until she found out several months ago that her mother, who lives in the area, was gravely ill.

“I’m here to be with her, to help take care of her,” Reese told me in one of the more poignant moments of our conversation.

   Click the pic... (Oh, and for more pics, www.badashphysiques.net.)


Has the notion crossed your mind that you could kick the average guy’s @###?

Yes. Um, in an application for American Gladiator, they asked what’s the weirdest thing about you and I said I’m stronger than most men my size.

What, American Gladiator?

That was kinda what I was training for before I moved here. I actually never sent the application in, so that’s not gonna happen right now. I made several video clips in Maui doing beech training. I think I’d be a “Badash” American Gladiator. I think I’d go on that show and dominate.

Any chance of being selected?

I might have to try out to be a contender first. I think my build is similar to the other women on there. They’re very muscular. They’re lean and ready for battle. I’ve filled out the application and have some of the required five minutes-worth of video.

So it’s a work in progress. You’re not quite sure when you’ll be applying.

Yes, that’s right. Things have been put on hold for a while since my Mom’s gotten sick.

Just how huge, if you don’t mind my asking, are you?

I’m 5’6” and about a buck fifty.

How often do you train?

I’m pushing weight five days a week about an hour a day. I do cardio six days a week for about an hour. I’m in the process of burning off the fat suit to see what’s underneath. I have a spin bike right next to the bed. As soon as I roll out of bed I land on the bike and start pounding the pedals (laughs).

What’s all this craziness for?

I’m training for something, but I’m not sure what it is. When I get there I’ll know. [Note: Reese didn’t tell me about the Gladiator thing until our THIRD chat. Said she was initially nervous talking with me. See end of interview for another last minute revelation.]

What’s your diet like?

That’s the tricky part. Your diet is 80 percent of your results when it comes to your body. I struggle with it daily.

What’s your struggle?

Malt balls are my weakness. I’m not sure why, but when they hit my mouth and they start melting and I get to the malt and – it’s a surprise. Right now I’m craving candy corn.

You got some crazy diet going on, right?

I try to eat clean throughout the week. I usually make a bunch of grilled chicken and broccoli and rice at the beginning of the week and portion it out during the week. I eat six small meals every 2.5 to 3 hours to keep my internal furnace burning hot and burning calories. It’s like throwing wood on a fire throughout the day.

Speaking of hot, just how hot is your furnace burning (sorry, folks, couldn’t resist)?

It’s over the top. My lid’s about to blow (laughs).

Have you ever heard of the old “everything in moderation” expression? Does this mean anything to you?

Yes, I’ve heard of it; my grandma used to say it. It sounds good, but I’m a little excessive.

Aren’t women supposed to be small and demure and men the big and strong ones? Didn’t you get that message?

I don’t think I’m that big (smiles).

Have you looked in the mirror lately at your shoulders?

Well, I don’t think I’m a toothpick. I’ve got curves.

What would you do if you could no longer work out -- if you, say, woke up one day and a doctor said no more working out?

Good question.

Have you not thought of this?

(Smiles) No. I’d like to design some clothing. I enjoy crafts and homemaking – embroidery. I do have a soft side. My shell is pretty hard, but on the inside I’m pretty soft. I don’t know if soft is the word, either. Maybe it’s warm. I’m warm inside.

(Above video: Ashley going coastal...)

What kind of men are you attracted to (besides balding reporters)?

I like big and strong and very kind men -- and loving, dedicated, hardworking, passionate, funny men. No toothpicks here, I’d snap them in half. My man has got to have some backbone. He’s got to walk side by side with me and I’ve got a little attitude so he’s got to be able to compliment me. Oh, and he’s got to be confident. [D’oh!]

Do you like the guys in the gym that grunt profusely while lifting extraordinary, scrotum-bursting amounts of weight?

Absolutely not (laughs).

What about gym apparel? What’s the worst thing a guy can wear to the gym?

Spandex or anything skintight.

How about women?

Women with too much body fat wearing too little clothing. You know, the whole athletic bra with the belly hanging out.

Does your workout hurt?

My goal is to gain muscle, so I’m screaming a little bit.  My goal is to hurt. After a certain number of reps it starts burning. I go until failure. Yes, it hurts.

Is it mental game to keep going?

Yes. You just have to go in there with a mindset knowing what you’re going to accomplish and knowing that getting where you want to be is about the pain. It’s not going to be a walk in the park. If it were easy everybody would be doing it.


What’s the greatest compliment anybody could give you?

It would be nice for someone to recognize that I’m a very kind person who sees things through.

What’s your favorite male body part?

Nice, muscular, well-defined, calves. I like them thick and meaty (laughs).

Favorite female body part?

I guess the booty.

What’s up with the !!%*?

A nice round one is real peachy, you know?

How much of your self worth is linked to your appearance?

Um, not much, really. I’m a firm believer in a good heart and a good mind because that’s what’s going to stick with you. You’re appearance will fade.

What kind of supplements do you take?

Protein powder, creatine, and branch chain amino acids. 

No raw meat?

I prefer cooked.

After two personal visits and one phone conversation with Reese, I got the following text message late Wednesday night: ”Becoming a fitness model is another goal.”

I must confess: Reese’s confession wasn’t (isn’t) a shocker – seems rather realistic, actually.