Rashid Shabazz

Rashid “Roc” Shabazz is an American, IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilding) Pro Champion bodybuilder and fitness trainer, born March 15, 1968 in Newark, New Jersey. He currently owns and operates Fitness Pros Wellness Center, a gym located in Atlanta, Ga., where he trains and designs meal plans for bikini, physique, figure and bodybuilding competitors, professional athletes and actors alike. Best known for his accomplishments in the world of bodybuilding, he is one of the smallest contenders to enter the sport as a middle-weight and gain enough muscle mass to qualify to compete in the light-heavy weight division for the rest of his career. Nicknamed “Roc” for his striking abdominal muscle definition, he entered the industry weighing a mere 132lbs. at only 5’ 5” in 1999. However, by the time Roc won first place at his last NPC (National Physique Committee) Nationals competition, before earning his pro status in 2004, he gained over 70lbs. of pure muscle, a feat that not many could achieve without his unique knowledge, focus and extreme dedication. From the beginning of his pro career, over the course of 6 years, Roc placed in fourteen(14) different professional bodybuilding competitions across the nation and ranked top 10 in ten(10) of the shows and top 5 in six(6). He attributes much of his success and inspiration to 8-time Mr. Olympia bodybuilder and mentor Lee Haney and although he no longer competes, his story and success as one of the best fitness trainers in the Southeast, continues to inspire and change the lives of many people.
Early Life
For most of his early life, Rashid Shabazz grew up and received his education in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, while living with his single mother Shakira and two younger brothers YaSin and Wali. In 1985, while attending Bay High School, he exhibited outstanding intelligence and athleticism, scoring extremely high on the ACT and lettering in football, baseball and tennis; he was destined for greatness from the beginning.
After Rashid graduated, he furthered his secondary education at Jackson State University, where he continued to excel. He was a young pioneer, who began to naturally follow the path that, little did he know, would later lead him to successful careers in both bodybuilding and business. In 1990 he succeeded as the first in his family to graduate from a 4-year institution, where he received a Bachelor’s of Science in Business and was recognized for his size against strength in weight-lifting for the first-time, when he set an all-time record of bench pressing 318lbs., weighing only a meager 128lbs in college. This monumental experience marked the beginning of his journey to defeat the odds in the world of bodybuilding and earn his IFBB Pro status.
Professional Life
In 1993 Rashid Shabazz, left his corporate job and headed for Atlanta to work for Lee Haney and learn as much as he could about bodybuilding. He competed in his first amateur show at a size that would hardly qualify him to be a bodybuilder and from that experience he knew the road to stardom wouldn’t be easy. So, he “ate, slept and trained” nonstop, in hopes of returning to the stage with a more competitive physique. After practicing for 6 years through non-qualifying small shows, in 1999, he competed in his first locally qualifying show, the Eastern Seaboard Bodybuilding Championship, and won the middleweight title along with his first overall win. However, Roc wasn’t satisfied with just being a middleweight contender, he wanted to compete at the highest muscle division his body would allow. So after improving his performance from the last show and gaining even more muscle mass, he packed up and headed for Dallas, Texas in 2002 and competed in the NPC Nationals Light-Heavy Weight Division show and placed 4th, a remarkable accomplishment for a contender of his stature. Every year he continued to improve his poses, muscle build and stage presence in the NPC National shows. From 2003 to 2004 he took home placements in 2nd and ended his career, competing locally, in 2004 when he earned a championship title and his IFBB Pro card, which would officially allow him to compete in professional shows like his predecessor, Lee Haney .
From then on, after obtaining his pro status, he hit the ground running. In 2006, he competed in his first professional shows placing 9th in the San Francisco Pro Invitational and 8th in the Grand Prix Australia. In 2007 he placed 13th in both the Iron Man Pro Invitational and Sacramento Pro Championships. However, he came back with an eventful year in 2008, when he participated and placed 11th in the New York Pro Championships Open and 5th in the 202, 14th in the Tampa Bay Pro Open and 5th in the 202, 2nd in the Europa Supershow and finished off the year with 6th place in the Mr. Olympia Showdown, the highest level of competition that a pro bodybuilder can reach. In 2010, the final year of his bodybuilding career, he competed in the Phoenix Pro and placed 1st, then went on to the Orlando Show of Champions and placed 2nd, with this streak he was bound for success and a take home win at the Mr. Olympia Showdown, but he only placed 11th due to an allergic reaction the night before. After that day, he put down competing to further his passion for training and investment in his business, Fitness Pros Wellness Center.
Over the course of his strong pro-bodybuilding career, Roc Shabazz has been featured in numerous magazines across the globe such as Atlanta Sports and Fitness, Flex, Ironman Mag., Men’s Book Atlanta, Muscle & Fitness, Muscle Mag. International, NPC News and Pose Down, along with a popular international spread in Spain. He has also had television appearances and radio specials on CW’s the Daily Buzz “The Fitness Buzz”, the Georgia Lottery, TotaLeeFit Internet Radio, and Muscle Talk radio. He hosted seminars, live panels and served as advisor and consultant for major corporations, including Miles Properties. Throughout his career Roc continued to received recognition and praise for his knowledge of fitness and nutrition, he even acquired his certification from the highly recognized International Fitness Professionals Association (IFPA), founded by fitness authority Dr. Jim Bell, as an Advanced Personal Fitness Trainer. However, little did he know, these series of accomplishments would mark the beginning of a new avenue of triumph for his life after the sport of bodybuilding.

Personal Life
Roc resides in Atlanta, Georgia, where he met and married his wife, long-time friend and co-owner of Fitness Pros Wellness Center, Gina Shabazz. Between the two of them they have three children, two daughters and a son from previous relationships. Although Roc did not grow up with strong ties to his biological father, he is still alive and they have maintained a relationship since 2008 when they officially reunited. His mother, who is also still alive and well, lives in Mobile, Alabama, where she continues to show support as a proud parent of her son’s accomplishments.
Fitness Pros Wellness Center
Extending beyond Roc’s passion for family and bodybuilding is his love for educating people on the importance of health and wellness. While he was competing, he used his earnings to open his very own fitness gym in 2007 and named it Fitness Pros Wellness Center, where he develops and maintains nutritional plans and workout regimes that have transformed the bodies of countless clients. Currently his track record of results reaches well beyond 100 and his method of training tackles multiple inhibitors that many people face as the cause of not continuing a program. With a professional roster consisting of athletes such as Hall of Famer: Shannon Sharpe, Future Hall of Famer and Super Bowl Champion: Ray Lewis, along with Ray Rice, Al Harris, Atari Bigby, and Jessie “the hammer” Tuggle just to name a few, there’s no wonder this center has become wildly successful. He has even added countless women and men to the list, who otherwise wouldn’t have achieved success in the competitive fitness world, yet, they have achieved success with top placements and even championships and pro cards for those with the passion. However, if you sit him down and ask him, he operates the center four (4) days a week for the average person. He truly loves the sport of transforming the body beyond its limits and he has found passion in helping clients transform not just their body, but their mind as well, through his program.
Beyond the center walls, his mission through Fitness Pros Wellness Center has changed lives. Roc’s organization has participated in countless charitable and fundraising events to better the community with support and proceeds of thousands of dollars going to the Picture of Health Foundation, March for Babies, Dr. Ian Smith’s 1 Mile Makeover, Turning Point, and Tavis Smiley’s Health Fair. As his business continues to expand into literature, television, seminars and advising trainers, companies and gyms, Roc has not forgotten the humble beginnings he came from and his mission to leave his legacy for the future, through his business.
Bodybuilding Titles
;May 1999
:NPC Eastern Seaboard Bodybuilding Championship, Atlanta, Georgia
::Middleweight and Overall Champion
;November 2001
:NPC Nationals, Atlanta, Georgia
::Middleweight - 8th Place
;November 2002
:NPC Nationals, Dallas, Texas
::Light-heavyweight - 4th Place
;November 2003
:NPC Nationals, Miami, Florida
::Light-heavyweight - 2nd Place
;November 2004
:NPC Nationals, Dallas, Texas
::Light-heavyweight Champion (received IFBB Pro Bodybuilder status)
;March 2006
:Australian Pro Grand Prix V, Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia
::8th Place
:San Francisco Pro, San Francisco, California
::Pro Debut-9th Place
;February 2007
:Ironman Pro, Pasadena, California
::13th Place
:Sacramento Pro, Sacramento, California
::13th Place
;May 2008
:New York Pro, New York, New York
::11th Place (Open)
::11th Place (202 class)
;August 2008
:Europa Supershow, Dallas, Texas
::2nd Place (202 class)
:Tampa Pro, Tampa, Florida
::14th Place (Open)
::5th Place (202 class)
;September 2008
:Mr. Olympia Showdown, Las Vegas, Nevada
::6th Place
;March 2010
:Phoenix Pro, Phoenix, Arizona
::1st Place (202 class)
;April 2010
:Europa Pro, Orlando, Florida
::2nd Place (202 class)
;September 2010
:Mr. Olympia Showdown, Las Vegas, Nevada
::8th Place
Athlete and Competitor Clients
;NFL (Personal Trainer)
:Shannon Sharpe (NFL Today, Hall of Famer, Denver Broncos & Baltimore Ravens)
:Kevin Youngblood (Atlanta Falcons)
:Dexter McCleon (Houston Texans)
:Takeo Spikes (Buffalo Bills)
:Carlos Emmons (NY Giants)
:Gabril Wilson (NY Giants)
:Rod Gardner (Kansas City Chiefs)
:Rock Cartwright (Washington Redskins)
:Todd McBride (Atlanta Falcons)
:Al Harris (Green Bay Packers)
:Antuan Edwards (Atlanta Falcons, Retired)
:Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens)
:Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens)
;NBA (Personal Trainer)
:Nick Anderson, Orlando Magic, Retired
;IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilding) and NPC (National Physique Committee)
:Sonja Bruce, IFBB Fitness Pro, 2005 Team Universe Fitness Champion (pro status obtained)
:Bethany Gainey, IFBB Fitness Pro, 2005 Team Universe Fitness Champion (pro status obtained)
:Tycie Coppett, 2006 NPC Eastern Seaboard Overall Figure Champion (currently IFBB Pro Physique)
:, 2006 NPC Coastal USA Figure Class B, 2nd Place Winner
:Shay Monroe, 2009 NPC Team Universe Bikini D Class Winner (pro status obtained)
:Cinderella Richardson, 2012 NPC North America over 35 Class (pro status obtained)
:Mike Johnson, 2013 NPC Master Nationals Tall Class (pro status obtained)
:[http://derrickjonesburn.wix.com/derrick-jones-burn-foundation#!services Kim Jones], 2005 NPC Eastern Seaboard Figure Class B Champion

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu