• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The BarBend Logo in white.

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • HYROX
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini-Massage Guns
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainer
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workout for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
      • Individual Supplement Reviews
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Exercise Bikes
      • Best Ellipticals
      • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Individual Cardio Equipment Reviews
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Leg Extension Machines
      • Individual Strength Equipment Reviews
    • Apparel
      • Best Weightlifting Shoes
      • Best Cross Training Shoes
      • Best Running Shoes
      • Best Gym Shorts
    • Fitness Tech
      • Best Running Apps
      • Best Fitness Trackers
      • Best Workout Apps
      • Best Smart Scales
    • Support Gear
      • Best Lifting Straps
      • Best Gym Bags
      • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Best Wrist Wraps
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Daily Protein Needs
    • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
    • Foods With Creatine
    • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
    • Training Guides
      • Beginner’s Guide to the Gym
      • How to Build Muscle
      • Guide to Muscle Hypertrophy
      • How to Train on a Cut
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
      • Bodybuilding Workouts
      • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Programs
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • German Volume Training
      • Build Your Own Program
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
  • Community Forum
Home » Bodybuilding News » Exclusive Interview: Cydney Gillon on Life After Pro Bodybuilding; "Glutes Can Get as Big as They Want"

Exclusive Interview: Cydney Gillon on Life After Pro Bodybuilding; “Glutes Can Get as Big as They Want”

The eight-time Figure Olympia champion is focused on making a difference.

Written by Roger Lockridge
Last updated on June 3rd, 2025

Eight-time Ms. Figure Olympia Cydney Gillon may have stepped away from the stage as a competitor, but her impact remains profound. Look no further than Atlanta, GA, where the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream recognized Gillon as one of the “Unstoppable Women of Atlanta” during the May 22, 2025, game against the Indiana Fever.

Gillon is still training and focused on the bodybuilding business, and shared more in an exclusive interview with BarBend.

Image via @vytamin_c on Instagram 
JOIN THE BARBEND COMMUNITY FORUM

Looking to connect with fellow fitness lovers like you? Head over to the BarBend Community Forum to ask questions, share advice, and talk all things training.

Join the Conversation

Editor’s note: The following interview has been lightly edited for readability.

BarBend (BB): Have you reflected on your bodybuilding career?

Gillon: I really hadn’t thought much about it. Once I retired, life seemed to take off, and I’ve been going non-stop ever since.

I immediately started working on my pro show — Triple O Dynasty Pro. I have my annual Cydney Gillon Peach Classic show coming up. We are at almost 200 competitors, not counting crossovers. 

BB: Why is it important that you continue contributing to the sport?

Gillon: It really is about pouring as much as I can into the athletes and my fans who gave me so much support. I have been doing that for the last 12 years, and I want to continue doing it in the future. I still want to represent my category and ensure we can continue to benefit.

BB: The Triple O Dynasty Pro is the first pro show to be promoted by multiple female reigning Olympia champions; you and Andrea Shaw. How has that event and process been?

Gillon: Andrea and I wanted to ensure we keep putting money back into our categories and uplifting the sport for NPC athletes. It has been great to work with someone like Andrea, who works hard.

People who know me will tell you I am a workhorse. I needed a partner who could work hard and make moves like me; that is precisely who she is. 

BB: What progress regarding prize money has there been for your contest?

Gillon: Even at the last minute this year, I secured $3,000 more for Women’s Bodybuilding. That is not even my category, but that is what it is about for us.

It isn’t just about elevating our categories; we are working to elevate each other. It takes a team to make the dream work; we have been and will continue to do so.

BB: How much has training changed post-retirement? 

Gillon: Training is definitely different now. I do a lot more lower-body training because I love it and am doing more glute and quad training than I used to. When competing, I eventually hit my cap on what I could bring to the stage.

BB: Do you find it easier to build muscle now?

Gillon: I have always been able to build muscle very easily. I had to ensure my muscles looked full onstage but not necessarily bigger. Now that I am retired, the glutes can get as big as they want. So now, I let them grow. I focus mainly on health and ensuring I can be functional and athletic.

BB: A new Figure champion is guaranteed at the 2025 Olympia. Who are the top contenders?

Gillon: I think multiple contenders can do it. It all depends on how they can come in. So, it is hard to pick out just one.

BB: What is their biggest challenge in preparing for the Olympia?

Gillon: I actually think taking me out of it puts more pressure on them. A lot of people got comfortable with me winning. They obviously trained to win, but they may not have considered it as likely.

When you remove me, that door is wide open, and they now may think, ‘I have a chance.’ That can add more pressure to them going into it. The good news is that if they can handle it, they will show that they are capable of being champion. 

BB: Will you be there to see who wins it?

Gillon: I will be right there watching. I look forward to it.

More Bodybuilding Content

  • Exclusive Interview: Shaun Clarida’s 2025 212 Olympia Prep at Home
  • Judge’s Feedback: Where Wesley Vissers Must Improve His Physique
  • The Workout That Transformed Jeff Nippard’s Physique

Featured Image: @vytamin_c on Instagram 

About Roger Lockridge

Roger "Rock" Lockridge has been writing professionally for 10 years and has been training for 20. His work in the fitness industry has been seen in numerous outlets and has been a part of coverage for several events including the Mr. Olympia, Arnold Classic, the CrossFit Games, and the Olympics. He's also shared his own personal success story in several interviews and articles. Lockridge lives in West Virginia with his wife and son.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest Reviews

Featured image for the Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review

Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review (2025): Our Expert’s New Favorite FID Bench

Titan T3 Power Rack Review

Titan T3 Power Rack Review (2025): An Expert-Approved Rig Beckoning to Budget-Minded Athletes

Our tester works out at the beach in preparation for the Rogue Resistance Bands Review

Rogue Resistance Bands Review (2025): Tested by a Certified Personal Trainer

Barbend tester Jake Herod works out on a Force USA Trainer

Force USA G3 Review (2025): Our Experts Tested This Compact All-In-One Rack for Small Home Gyms

BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2025 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap