There are many champions in the sport of bodybuilding. Every year the Olympia weekend crowns 11 world champions in various pro divisions. Even though these athletes are certainly worthy of respect because of that success, it takes something more to become one of the most popular athletes in the industry.
Janet Layug knows this all too well because she is one of those athletes. Her meteoric rise in the IFBB Pro League Bikini division hit a roadblock because she was unable to reach the top spot on the Olympia stage for several years. Her persistence and dedication helped her attain support from the fans until she finally reached her summit in 2020.
[Read More: Janet Layug Won the Bikini Olympia. Now She’s Starting Her Own Show]
Now, over a decade after her pro career began, Layug is still admired by fans and fellow competitors around the world because of her success and journey to reach there. You can read about that journey here.
Early Life
Layug was born on Dec. 29, 1988, and grew up in Florida. She worked as both a nurse and model before beginning her journey to the stage. Her first brush with fame came in a Hooters restaurant when she was invited to apply to be a model for one of their calendars.
She not only made that calendar but went on to earn the title of Miss Hooters International for the year 2014. This is a title that she remains proud of to this day. It also led her to dive deeper into giving bikini bodybuilding competitions a try.
She didn’t need much time to complete her amateur career. Less than one year later, she earned her pro status at the 2013 NPC National Championships.
Pro Contest History
Layug has been competing in the IFBB Pro League since 2014. She has entered a total of 28 contests and has eight wins. The most notable victories are her 2020 Bikini Olympia win and 2019 Bikini International titles. She is one of seven athletes to have held both championships.
She took time away from the stage in 2021 to focus on other ventures. She also did not compete in 2023.
[Read More: Janet Layug Says She Will Not Defend Bikini Title at 2021 Olympia]
The rest of her decade-long career is documented below, courtesy of NPC News Online.
2014
- Bikini International — 4th
- Battle at the Beach — 1st
- Pittsburgh Pro — 4th
- Bikini Olympia — 2nd
2015
- Bikini International — 3rd
- Bikini Olympia — 2nd
- Prague Pro — 1st
2016
- Bikini International — 3rd
- Arnold Classic Australia — 2nd
- Bikini Olympia — 6th
- Fort Lauderdale Cup — 2nd
2017
- Bikini International — 4th
- Tampa Pro — 4th
- Asia Grand Prix — 2nd
2018
- Bikini International — 2nd
- Arnold Classic Australia — 2nd
- Bikini Olympia — 3rd
- Shawn Rhoden Classic Philippines Pro — 1st
2019
- Bikini International — 1st
- Arnold Classic Australia — 1st
- Bikini Olympia — 2nd
- Asia Grand Prix — 1st
- Japan Pro — 1st
2020
- Bikini International — 3rd
- Bikini Olympia — 1st
2022
- Pittsburgh Pro — 3rd
- New York Pro — 3rd
- Bikini Olympia — 8th
[Read More: Janet Layug is Your 2020 Bikini Olympia Champion]
Janet Layug’s Lower Body Workout
Layug will hold her own against anyone in a weight room. She trains heavy and hard as well as for higher reps. Single rep power is not a priority for her. She is looking to develop shape and symmetry for all sides. That is why she uses a lot of angles and different exercises when she trains.
This means she follows a high-volume approach to training. The following lower body workout was shared by Muscle & Fitness in 2019. Since she was focused on making the most out of each rep instead of training for strength, she trained in reverse pyramid fashion. She started with heavier weights and low reps and decreased the weight as reps increased. While her training may change occasionally, she clearly found this to be successful.
- Leg Press: 4 x 10, 10, 15, 25 reps*
- Platform Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 3 x 10, 15, 25 reps
- Leg Curl: 3 x 10, 15, 25 reps
- Walking Dumbbell Lunge: 3 x 30 reps per leg
- Single-Leg Curl: 3 x 10, 15, 25 reps
- Butt Blaster: 4 x 25 reps per leg
- Narrow and Wide Smith Machine Half-Squat: 3 x 10, 15, 25 reps
- Barbell Hip Raise: 4 x 50 reps
*Rest as needed between sets
[Read More: What You Need to Know About How to Build Muscle]
Business Ventures and Social Media
Layug has promoted bodybuilding and fitness onstage as well as in the business world. She has been an active spokesperson for several companies throughout her career. The brands she actively works with as of February 2024 include C4 and Cellucor, Xtend, Train Like a Freak (TLF) Clothing, and Slimtum Waist Trainers.
In 2021, she swapped the bikini for the promoter’s hat and started holding her own show — the Janet Layug Battle of the Bodies competition, which hosts both NPC and IFBB Pro League contests. The 2024 competition will be held on Sept. 14, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, FL. It will be one of the final qualifying shows for the 2024 Bikini Olympia.
Layug also supports the fitness journeys of other people in her work as a coach. She speaks and seminars and also serves clients as a coach and trainer. She promotes these services through her own website and social media.
Layug’s journey to success and willingness to share her life with her fans has resulted in her having a loyal following on social media. She has over 577,000 followers on Instagram, which is where she is the most active. She also has 76,000 followers on Facebook and 2,500 subscribers to her YouTube channel, but she has not posted on either platform since 2023.
[Read More: Daraja Hill Wins 2023 Janet Layug Battle of the Bodies Bikini Division Show]
2024 Plans and Beyond
Layug did not compete at all in the 2023 season, and she has not publicly announced her plans for the 2024 season. She has been active in other ways both in and out of the industry, including being with her daughter.
Since she is a past Olympia champion within the last five years, she is automatically qualified for the 2024 Olympia in Las Vegas, NV on Oct. 10-13, 2024. If she wishes to compete, she would not have to do so before then. Whatever she chooses to do in 2024 and beyond, it would be hard to doubt she will be successful at it.
Featured Image: @janetlayug / Instagram
