NGA Figure Pro Jenna Ripple Speaks!!

First and foremost, I’d like to give our guest, NGA Figure Pro Jenna Ripple all the kudos in the world for agreeing to do this interview, getting everything back to me on time, and going above and beyond. Ideally, we’ll have an interview every week, but following Jason Robinson’s interview we had a bit of a gap. Email-based interviews are much more intense than a quick minute or two backstage video. They require a tremendous amount of time – from answering the questions to finding the perfect pictures that compliment the piece.

As NattyCompetitors.com grows, so too will the demand to be featured. The driving force of this website is to promote hardworking athletes who you should get to know better. Jenna’s star continues to rise, but not by happenstance. She’s a real fighter and has no quit in her. She’s humble, but responds wonderfully under pressure. Anyone who has shared a stage with her knows that she comes ready to battle and puts her best foot forward. She’s also a genuinely kind person and has a positive aura about her. Jenna’s all smiles at check-ins, backstage, and throughout the whole process. I’m eternally grateful for her doing this interview.

So let’s get to know JENNA!!

Christian Duque: I’m so excited to do this interview!! Welcome to NattyCompetitors.com!! Thanks for taking the time to do this interview, Jenna. Please take this opportunity to tell us a little bit about yourself.

Jenna Ripple: My name is Jenna Ripple, I am 24 years old and I’m from Bloomington, Indiana. I graduated from Murray State University in 2024 with a degree in Science and Agriculture with a Veterinary Technology emphasis.I have lived in Murray, Kentucky since and work as a tech in Mayfield, Kentucky. My first and only show I have competed in was the Kentucky Classic in the NGA organization. My home gym is The Garage where my lovely coaches Dan and Abby are.  

Christian Duque: Talk to us about when and why you started weight-training? What were your goals staring out? Do you come from an athletic background? 

Jenna Ripple: I started weight training when I was around 11 years old. My sport since the age of 4 was softball, so I trained on and off season for that. I signed to play softball at Saint Mary of the Woods college in 2020, but during our winter training I tore my ACL and meniscus. After surgery, it took me some time to get through physical therapy and actually trust that leg again. Unfortunately, it was time to hang up the cleats and that’s when I really pushed myself even more in the gym. Over the years it has become something I enjoy deeply as it gives me a break from work and life in general. My goal wasn’t ever to see how I could grow my muscles, but overtime I found it fascinating to see what my body was actually capable of.

Christian Duque: For many people, discovering the weights is one thing, but competing is quite another. At what point in your training did competing come into the equation? Did you see a contest or did someone get in your ear about how taking the plunge? 

Jenna Ripple: In September of 2025, I messaged my coach Dan about getting into body building. We sat down and talked about the ins and outs of competing, which I was very nervous about starting. My life felt like it was just at a standstill. There wasn’t anything challenging me to be a better version of myself and the people around me.  I’ve always been a very determined, dedicated and precise person, so I knew this sport would take me where I wanted to go in my fitness journey.

Christian Duque: With regard to your first contest, tell us a little bit about that show. Did you work with a coach, and what was that first prep like? What came easiest, what was the most challenging? 

Jenna Ripple: My first show went even better than I expected. I was so nervous but excited at the same time. My coach Dan provided me with the workouts and macros to make me feel confident in bringing my best package. Of course winning is always what everyone wants to do, but I knew this sport was much more than that. Having that much discipline to turn down all the good foods people seem to want to offer you while you’re in prep takes A LOT. The cardio sucked in prep, the macros sucked but I did it. I was more proud of the ability to mentally push myself forward each day during prep than I ever have been. I was exhausted and the week before the show I broke down in tears. I didn’t think I was going to look good enough, be good enough and I mentally wanted to back out. My posing coach, Abby, had prepped me perfectly for all things posing and I was so lucky to step on that stage for the first time and be confident in what I was bringing to the table.

Christian Duque: Once you decided to compete and followed through, did your circle understand the journey you were embarking on? How have you managed family life, social life, and work with this very time-consuming sport? What finding the balance that worked best for you like? 

Jenna Ripple: Wake up time every day is 2:30am-3am to get my workout and cardio in before working 8am-5:30pm. After that, it was get home and start getting steps and fit in my last meal. There wasn’t a lot of “free” time to be had, but I just had to make time for the people I care about – my husband, friends and family. There were some people that truly didn’t understand what being in prep really meant as they continued to offer me foods and drinks I could not have, but I just had to know they wouldn’t understand it unless they went through it themselves.

Christian Duque: What’s your mindset like during the various stages of prep? How do you keep from losing your mind as your macros change, but life goes on as usual? What are the last few days like? Are you riding a wave of adrenaline or do you feel like you’re one sandwich short of a picnic basket (lol)? 

Jenna Ripple: Knowing the end goal is what pushed me through. I knew what I wanted to look like on stage and after all the work I put in, I was not going to give in. It is definitely the most challenging thing i’ve ever had to face mentally, but I knew everything had to be done. One thing that pushed me the hardest was knowing how proud my dad would be of me. My dad passed away in November of 2023, and that man never missed a game, event, nothing of mine. I know he would be front row cheering me on and for that, I would never give up because he wouldn’t ever allow me to.I found things I enjoy doing other than lifting which became baking. I started making frosted cookies with designs, cookies with all kinds of mix-ins and did not even try one bite during prep. Right now, I am in prep for my next show in the fall and I would say my mind is content. I know now the flow of things on show day, I know how it feels when macros are dropped low, so I am prepared for what is to come. 

Christian Duque: Bodybuilding is often considered a sport of one, but in reality, your corner/your team is key. Talk to us about the very important roles played by significant others, family and friends, even co-workers. 

Jenna Ripple: My husband watched me go through all of it. From bulking, which was during our wedding, to maintenance and then prep. He knew how hard I was on myself and how I would struggle mentally to get through the days. When you don’t get much food, everyone gets moody and I will say I am guilty of that. He dealt with it, pushed me and helped me get things done outside of bodybuilding so I could rest as much as possible. My family was so supportive from day one, checking in and asking how I was doing. Some family and friends were able to make it to the show which made it even more special. One thing I noticed was how distant some friends get when you’re going through this journey. You are so exhausted that you have to learn to say “No” to things, so the end result is them just backing away. It’s upsetting, but you have to keep moving forward.

Christian Duque: You’ve been able to build a solid figure look, but is Figure where your heart is? Do you have any aspirations to do wellness or get bigger? Did you build towards the division or is the division where your body fits best? 

Jenna Ripple: Figure is definitely where my heart is. The workouts and seeing how certain muscles are able to grow is amazing to me. I do not have any aspirations to do any other category besides figure, but I do plan on growing to get bigger for shows. I fit well in the Figure category when I first started body building and from there I knew that’s where I was meant to be

Christian Duque: With regard to the sport, what are some short and long-term goals you’d like to realize?

Jenna Ripple: Short term goals I have are getting to the shows and going through prep. However, long term I want to achieve the best mindset I can to help others with their diet/fitness. I get asked questions all the time, which I am always still learning and striving to be better myself, but it feels good knowing people trust me to help guide them in the right direction

Christian Duque: If someone is reading this interview and wants to compete, but perhaps lack the self-confidence to do so, what advice would you give them? What would you say to them? 

Jenna Ripple: The muscularity and image you bring to the stage is obviously what matters at the end of the show day. However, being confident in all the work you have put in beats image all day long. Confidence isn’t how you look, it’s the way you gave it your all, got through the hard days and the sometimes easier days and even stepped on that stage. No one looks the same, no one is perfect, but that was makes this sport so fun

Christian Duque: I’d love to do a little word/phrase association. Please write what first comes to mind. 

Jenna Ripple:

Driven: being pushed by a mental goal

Favorite Cheat Meal: Cheese burger with fries

What songs would you put in your backstage playlist:

Burn it to the ground – Nickelback

My Own Prison – Creed

Girls, Girls, Girls – Mötley Crüe

What’s your favorite mandatory pose: Back pose

Favorite Day at the gym: Lat/back day

Favorite Protein Powder (Brand & Flavor): Ryse – Chocolate eanut butter cup
Favorite Gym Apparel Company: Gymshark

First thing you think about when you hit the stage: How proud I am of myself for even stepping on stage

Last thing you think about as you leave the stage: No matter the outcome, I did my absolute best

Christian Duque: Thanks again for taking the time to do this interview. Please take this opportunity to thank all those that have helped you along the way. And please let your friends and fans know where they can go to keep up to date with you. 

Jenna Ripple: First and foremost, I am thankful God put me on this path. There’s nothing better than knowing he put me on this journey for a bigger reason, not just the stage. I am so thankful for my husband, family and friends who have supported me every single day and we’re understanding when rest was truly needed, even if that meant me missing out. My coaches, Dan and Abby, I truly wouldn’t be here without them always being able to talk me off a ledge when I need it most. They push me and keep me going, they are the best!

I hope you enjoyed reading this very powerful, very honest, and very special interview with NGA Figure Pro Jenna Ripple! Please be sure to follow her on Instagram at @JennaRipple13 and show her some love when you see her take the stage. She’s precisely the kind of athlete who should be a pro. It’s not just for the physique she’s built, but for the person who she is! We’re all so lucky to know her!