After more than two decades of living the life of a bodybuilder, 46-year-old Krissy Vaughn of Volcano is ready to take her passion to the next level.
This Saturday, August 8, Vaughn will take the stage at Bally’s Lake Tahoe Casino Resort for the Center Podium Tahoe Show, marking her debut in competitive bodybuilding after years of training.
“I have been working out in various gyms my whole life, living the bodybuilder lifestyle, but never took that next step until now,” Vaughn said.
Vaughn grew up in Petaluma and has been living in Amador County since 2006. She recalls watching a bodybuilding competition on TV when she was a kid and becoming hooked on the sport.
“I was always drawn toward the ‘look’ of a strong physique on a woman,” Vaughn said. “I knew when I grew up, I wanted to look like those women I saw. And then when I turned 19, I got a job working at a gym and learned how to workout properly through the help of the gym owner and my boss.”
Vaughn is a fixture at local gyms like New York Fitness and Anytime Fitness, typically working out six days a week for a couple of hours each day.
“The discipline and extreme regimented lifestyle, and the health is what I love most about this sport,” she said.
While Vaughn’s commitment serves as an inspiration to many, she said it was the support of people in the community here in Amador County that finally convinced her to give competing a try after living the lifestyle of a bodybuilder for so long.
“People have been encouraging me to compete because of the work they see me put in,” she said. “To be honest, the community members here are the reason I decided to compete … and I’m forever grateful for the people who have encouraged me to do so.”
Vaughn will be competing as an amateur at this weekend’s Tahoe Show, but has her sights set on eventually competing at the professional ranks.
After the Tahoe Show, she will start a 15-week training program in preparation for the 2026 National Physique Committee (NPC) Masters USA competition, which will be held November 20 and 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada. If she is able to win her division at that show, she will earn her International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) Pro Card.
