From Zero to IFBB Pro: How RDS Built a Champion from Scratch
- Scott Bird
- Sep 21
- 4 min read
Michelle Dela Peña’s journey from postpartum beginner to IFBB Pro is more than a transformation — it’s the embodiment of what Rising Dragon School was built to do.
This is a true From Zero to IFBB Pro story — shaped by discipline, built on precision, and coached without compromise.
The Beginning: A Different Kind of Start
When Michelle arrived at Rising Dragon Martial Arts School in China in 2015, she had no training background. Her introduction to movement wasn’t through weights or circuits — it was through Tai Chi.
There were no expectations. No goals beyond learning to move, breathe, and build awareness. Her transformation didn’t begin in a gym — it began in silence, structure, and stillness on the Himalayan Foothills.
Postpartum Reset at RDS Lapland
In 2016, several months after giving birth, Michelle began rebuilding her body at RDS Lapland, our Winter Bootcamp facility in the Arctic. It was there that she began to train seriously — and consistently — for the first time.
She trained in snow and subzero temperatures, through HIIT, strength training, calisthenics, and intense RDS-style circuits. There were no mirrors. No distractions. Just discipline and focus.
This was the foundation.
Years of Consistency: Strength Without Shortcuts
From 2016 to 2023, Michelle trained with no fixed destination in mind. She simply showed up — week after week, month after month, year after year.
Over time, her body changed. Her mindset shifted. And what began as postnatal recovery turned into something extraordinary.
She eventually set her sights on competition. In 2024, she stepped on stage in the UK and won every show she entered— including UKBFF and PCA events.
But that success wasn’t created in a 12-week prep plan.
It was built over eight years of consistent, structured training.
Elite Athlete First. Bodybuilder Second.
At Rising Dragon School, we don’t just create people who look strong.
We create people who are strong.
Many bodybuilders come straight from the gym floor with little to no athletic foundation. I’ve met competitors who can’t even run a mile — and we’re supposed to call that an athlete?
Michelle was different. She was trained like all my clients and students — as a performance athlete first. Before stepping into bodybuilding, she had already:
Completed 1,000 burpee challenges
Run ultramarathon distances
Trained in -20°C Arctic weather
Performed elite-level circuits and core strength protocols
Lifted 3x her bodyweight in deadlifts and 2x her bodyweight for squats
Completed consecutive monthly 72-hour fasts over a 3-year period
Her cardiovascular base, muscular endurance, and mental grit were forged well before she
ever dieted for a show.
If you look at many of the top Figure athletes in the world — such as Cydney Gillon, 8x Figure Olympia Champion — they often come from athletic or competitive sports backgrounds. Michelle followed a similar path: build the athlete, then build the champion.
🗣️ “If you can’t run a mile or take a hit to the gut, can we really call you fit?”
(More on that in a future post.)
Built Right From Day One
One of the biggest reasons Michelle succeeded so quickly is because she never had to unlearn bad habits.
She didn’t go through the years of trial and error that most athletes endure.
She was trained by me — her coach — from day one, with:
Proven strength and hypertrophy systems
Dialed-in macros, adjusted as her physique evolved
Strategic recovery protocols, movement assessments, and mindset work
And she was immersed in the perfect environment for growth:
No alcohol
No parties
No junk food
No chaos
Just training, eating, sleeping, and winning.
🏆 “Create the perfect environment — then show up every day.”
But even in the perfect environment, results aren’t automatic.
As a coach, I can program the path — but I can’t walk it for you.
Michelle put in the work. Every session. Every day. That’s why she’s here.
The AGP Moment: September 7, 2025
Michelle stepped on stage at the 2025 AGP Pro Qualifier in Manila and won 1st Place in the Figure category, with the judges placing her clearly above the field.
Due to the category having fewer than five competitors, the Pro Card wasn’t awarded automatically. But her win was later reviewed and approved by the IFBB Pro League headquarters in the United States — by President Jim Manion himself.
Michelle officially earned her IFBB Pro Card and is now a certified IFBB Pro Figure Athlete.
There was no stage announcement. No oversized card moment. But the achievement was real — and fully deserved.
Coach’s Reflection: From Zero to IFBB Pro
I’ve coached thousands of people — actors, monks, soldiers, CEOs, people with 50kg to lose, and people who’ve never trained a day in their life.
But this journey stands out.
Because it’s proof of what can happen when you remove distractions, train with purpose, and commit with heart.
Michelle’s transformation wasn’t just physical. It was emotional. Spiritual. Stoic.
It’s a reflection of the RDS method:
No noise. No hype. Just execution.
💭 “Discipline over everything.”
Lessons from Michelle’s Transformation
You don’t need talent — just direction.
You don’t need motivation — just structure.
You don’t need perfection — just consistency.
Build the environment, then live inside it.
From zero to IFBB Pro — Michelle's journey is living proof of what’s possible when the process is right, the mindset is focused, and the environment is built for excellence.
⚡ The environment is built and waiting for you — Rising Dragon School.
Ready to Begin Your Own Transformation?
📍 Train on-site at the upcoming RDS Health & Wellness Resort – Opening Jan 2026
🌍 Join our remote coaching programs from anywhere in the world
Whether your goal is:
Fat loss
Strength and performance
Long-term transformation
Or stepping on stage at the elite level
We know how to get you there.
👉 Message us via our contact page or @risingdragonschool on Instagram
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