By Ron Harris
Powerlifting and physique competition are two entirely different endeavors. One athlete trains purely to be as strong as possible, the other uses weights as a tool to sculpt a perfectly developed and proportionate body. MuscleMeds athlete Julia Di Pompeo is one of the few who has achieved success in both sports simultaneously, and certainly one of the only women to have ever done so. Her achievements so far fly in the face of myths that would have us believe that a Figure competitor needs to avoid very heavy training with the basic lifts. Let’s get to know this unique young woman from Illinois.
Tennis and Marathons
“I was playing tennis from the time I could hold a racket,” Julia tells us. She played all the way through high school before following in her father’s footsteps and taking up running. She ultimately completed two full marathons along with multiple half marathons and 10Ks, and Di Pompeo confirmed my suspicions about her diet at the time. “It was 90 percent carbs,” she laughs. Eventually her dad grew concerned that the excessive running would lead to injury and took her to the gym to show her the basics of weight training.
Two New Sports to Compete In
To her surprise, Julia took a liking to the iron right away. “It seemed cooler to add 5 pounds to a lift than it was to shave two seconds off my mile time,” she tells us. Looking up and printing up workouts online, she soon found herself gravitating toward the big three lifts as her main focus. It wasn’t long before her body improved so rapidly in shape and muscularity that people at the gym began asking her if she competed. “I didn’t even know what they meant, compete in what?” she recalls. As she looked into it, Julia pondered which division she would fit into best. “Bikini was a very popular choice, but that look wasn’t for me,” she explains. “I loved the look of Women’s Physique, but I was too intimidated to try that because they just seemed so big to me at the time. Figure seemed like the perfect middle ground, with the level of development and the presentation aspect.”
Her first coach told Julia she would probably grow out of the Figure division eventually, but so far, her development remains well within its parameters. She does note that if Wellness had existed eight years ago when she was starting out, it might have been a viable option as her lower body has always grown faster than her upper body. “But at the same time, I wouldn’t want to train legs two or three times a week like they all do in Wellness,” she adds. Four years ago, Di Pompeo made her first attempt at a pro card at the NPC Junior Nationals nearby in Chicago and won both her class and the Overall title against five other class winners. She was also beginning to compete in powerlifting meets in the APF [American Powerlifting Federation] and UPA [United Powerlifting Association] organizations doing well enough to become state champion.
It Figures
While Julia has done well in powerlifting, IFBB Pro League Figure is where she has truly shined. She took fourth place at the Orlando Pro, then second at the Chicago Pro in 2021 before winning it in 2022. “The win was extra special because I was able to have at least 30 friends and family in the audience, plus tons of support just from being known around the Chicago-area gyms.” That win earned her a spot in the 2022 Olympia, the largest athlete turnout in the history of the Olympia. Julia admits it was a bit overwhelming.
“It was surreal to be sitting in the athlete’s meeting with all these women I had followed and looked up to in Figure; like Cydney Gillon, Jessica Reyes Padilla, Natalia Soltero, Wendy Fortino, and Bojana Vasiljevic. I was trying to process that now I was at that level too.”
It also took Di Pompeo a little while to get accustomed to being a role model to aspiring Figure champions. “At first, I was like, why are you following me, why are you interested in what I do? Then it hit me that they were looking up to me the same way I had looked up to those other women. Now it keeps me going and motivated to know that I am inspiring and motivating other women.”
The MuscleMeds Connection
It’s always refreshing to hear that an athlete was using a company’s products long before they entered into any type of sponsorship arrangement. “MuscleMeds Carnivor was the first protein powder I ever bought, and that was over 10 years ago,” Julia informs us. Two years ago, she joined the athlete team and expanded her range. “I love the Carnivor RTDs, because they taste great, I can take them anywhere, and there’s no shaker bottle to clean out!” She also relies on Carnivor Lean Meal when she wants a quick 40 grams each of protein and carbohydrates. “It’s a clean meal replacement made from beef and potatoes,” she adds. Before training, Julia turns to Amino Decanate Energy as her pre-workout which provides EAAs, glutamine, caffeine and other energizing ingredients. “I take the Stemtropin product every night before bed, and it helps tremendously with quality sleep and recovery.”
What Comes Next?
It’s looking like 2023 will be focused more on powerlifting than Figure competition for Julia. She was set to compete in a meet just weeks after we spoke in late June, and she was invited to a professional meet in October. “The universe seems to be pointing me toward powerlifting at the moment,” she jokes. She’s grateful to have the option of two diverse sports to channel her energy and attention into. “It’s wonderful to prepare for a Figure show and peak your physique perfectly for that one day, but when it’s over, it can be hard for some women to mentally transition back into an off-season mode,” she points out. “In my case, I can target a powerlifting meet that may be a couple of months away, and immediately I have something new and challenging to focus on.”
Julia also encourages other female competitors to give heavier training a chance. “First off, it’s fun and empowering to train heavy and get stronger,” she says. “But the real benefits will show in your physique. Heavier training builds that muscle density that will make you stand out on stage from others who just have the shape and structure.”
So, while we are going to have to wait a little while to see Julia Di Pompeo on stage again in pro Figure, in the meantime she will be working hard to ensure that next appearance will display marked improvements in an already stunning package. And for those who insist that lifts like the squat and deadlift will lead to a “boxy waist” or blocky physique, Julia is proof that you can train like a beast and still look like a beauty.
Ron Harris got his start in the bodybuilding industry during the eight years he worked in Los Angeles as Associate Producer for ESPN’s “American Muscle Magazine” show in the 1990s. Since 1992 he has published nearly 5,000 articles in bodybuilding and fitness magazines, making him the most prolific bodybuilding writer ever. Ron has been training since the age of 14 and competing as a bodybuilder since 1989. He lives with his wife and two children in the Boston area. Facebook Instagram
Julia’s ‘Big 3’
Bench Press: 235
Squat: 440
Deadlift: 435
Contest History – IFBB Pro Figure
2019 NPC Junior Nationals – Overall Champion
2021 Orlando Pro – Fourth Place
2021 Chicago Pro – Second Place
2022 Chicago Pro – Winner
2022 Figure Olympia – Did not place
Julia’s MuscleMeds Stack
CARNIVOR
Rocket Pop flavor
CARNIVOR LEAN MEAL![™]()
As a meal replacement* (any flavor).
CARNIVOR SHRED
To burn fat, build muscle, increase energy.
CARNIVOR![™]()
RTD
Meal replacement (Vanilla flavor).
AMINO DECANATE ENERGY
Pre-workout
CREATINE DECANATE
To increase muscle size and strength.
STEMTROPIN
Before bed
*Julia switches to Carnivor Shred when preparing for a Figure competition
For more information, visit musclemedsrx.com
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