Hardbody Amber Dawn Orton

After having been a tomboy most of her life, Amber Orton fell in love with physique competition in 2009—and she promptly won the overall bikini title at her first show, the ’10 NPC Seven Feathers Classic. Since then she’s taken it to the next level by becoming a successful personal trainer and prep coach.

Current sponsors: P28, My
Oatmeal.com, Tainted Industries, Nike, Beast Sports Nutrition, Quest, GreenTeaX50, JustDrank, FitMark Bags, CycloneCups

Current training program:

Monday: Glute-focused leg day

Tuesday: Shoulders

Wednesday: Arms

Thursday: Back, chest

Friday: Abs, plyos

Saturday: Rest day

Sunday: Lift for whatever isn’t sore from the week

What has been the biggest mistake you’ve made with your training in the past? Not giving myself enough recovery and rest days. It’s so easy to fall into the mind-set that a day off is going to halt progress, which is completely not true. It’s very important to let your body rest to get proper health, growth and recovery and to hedge the risk of injury.

What’s a strange or unique fact about you or talent that not many people know about? I grew up on a mountain in the middle of nowhere outside of Wasilla, Alaska. I was always a country tomboy. I rode horses and never wore makeup until high school. Today I think a lot of people view me as “just a fitness model” but don’t realize that I also have two degrees—in economics and finance—and own rental property that I bought at the age of 18.