With just days until the second series of The Only Way Is Essex returns to our screens the characters are no doubt topping up their tans, primping their hair and ensuring their vajazzles are firmly in place.

But it seems two stars of the show tried out a novel way of getting into shape for the second round of cat-flights, tears and tantrums embarking on a grueling fitness boot camp – in true Essex style, of course.

Mark Wright’s former flame Lucy Mecklenburgh was joined by Arg’s girlfriend Lydia Bright and the girls weren’t going to let the muddy training getting in the way of looking their best and found enough energy to enjoy an impromptu mud-wrestling match.


The pair were joined by two friends who were also sporting a full face of make-up and blow dried hair for the outdoor activities at the No1 boot camp in Norfolk.

With their hair flowing behind them the girls ran down to the beach to begin their session carrying small weighted balls.

That in itself must have been a tough task for the girls who are more used to lifting boutique shopping bags than weights.

And the girls ditched their designer dresses and high heels for black exercise leggings and a low cut black vest, but didn’t opt for sports bras for the strenuous activities.

The girls did show willing and performed a number of exercises including a girl-style press up which displayed their ample cleavage and a wide-legged squat on the sand.

The girls then crawled through the mud and while they seemed to be exhausted at the activity seemed to be in good spirits, even when the trainer flicked mud across their made-up faces.

And perhaps aware of the cameras on them, or maybe just fans of mud-wrestling Lydia challenged Lucia to a bout and the pair got the grips with each other in the dirt.

Always ready to oblige a waiting photographer the girls got together for a group shot.

Lucy, who is a size eight and weights nine stone has revealed how all the cast members have been putting in extra effort getting into shape for the new series.

She told New! Magazine: ‘Everyone’s gone a bit hardcore trying to lose weight for the next series.’

The 20-year-old credits her own trim figure to zumba classes and poledancing

The Only Way Is Essex returns March 20th on ITV2 at 10pm








Source: Dailymail

The whole thing just didn't feel right to Joel Northup.

A high school wrestler from Iowa and favorite to win the 112-pound class at the state tournament, Northup walked away from the mat without laying a finger on his opponent, Cassy Herkelman, a female wrestler from another school.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cassy and Megan (Black) and their accomplishments. However, wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times," Northup said in a statement. "As a matter of conscience and my faith I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high school sports in Iowa."

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, more than 6,000 girls - compared to nearly 275,000 boys - competed in wrestling in the last school year. California, Hawaii and Texas offer girls-only high school tournaments, but most states require girls to wrestle against boys.

Northup, who was 35-4 and competed as a member of the Linn-Mar wrestling team, did not forfeit the match but instead defaulted; the distinction is important because by defaulting Northup is still eligible to wrestle in consolation rounds.

Scott Mahmens, the athletic director at Linn-Mar, said that the school supports Northup's decision. "Obviously his beliefs are more important to him (than a chance at a state title)," Mahmens told the Des Moines Register. Northup is home-schooled but wrestles with the Linn-Mar program.

Herkelman advances to the second round of the tournament and will wrestle again on Friday.

Her father told the Associated Press that he understood Northup's decision.

"It's nice to get the first win and have her be on the way to the medal round," Bill Herkelman wrote in a text message to the AP. "I sincerely respect the decision of the Northup family especially since it was made on the biggest stage in wrestling. I have heard nothing but good things about the Northup family and hope Joel does very well the remainder of the tourney."

While Northup and Herkelman made headlines for not wrestling, Megan Black and Logan Ryan made history for getting on the mat Thursday.

According to the Register, Black and Ryan became the first male-female competitors to face one another in Iowa's state high school wrestling tournament, which began in 1926. Ryan, ranked No. 3 in the 112-pound weight class, pinned Black in 52 seconds. Black lost in her consolation round match to Andres Gonzalez later on Thursday.
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