Paxson-Putnam will compete at the Jacksonville Pro Figure Championships
by Allan Donnelly
June 12, 2008
FLEXONLINE.COM
WeÂve been seeing a lot of Jessica Paxson-Putnam recently, but thereÂs one place we havenÂt seen much of her in the last year  on stage. That will all change on August 1-2, when Paxson-Putnam returns to competition mode at the Jacksonville Pro Figure Championships at the Dexter Jackson Classic in Jacksonville, Florida. Paxson-Putnam last competed in 2007 at the New York Pro Figure Championships, where she placed fifth.
ÂI wanted to take some time off, but it turned out to be more time than expected because other opportunities kept coming up that I couldnÂt pass up, Paxson-Putnam said. ÂI was planning on coming back earlier to do the Pittsburgh Pro (on May 3) but different things stood in the way.Â
Paxson-Putnam is mostly referring to the month she spent in Wisconsin shooting an episode of MTVÂs Made. The episode, titled ÂThe Karate KidÂ, features a high school student who takes up Tae Kwon Do (we know, we know  karate = Tae Kwon Do?). Paxson-Putnam was called in to be the personal trainer of the lucky kid in question. The episode, which coincidentally will be the 100th episode of Made, will air on June 14 at 4 pm EST/1 pm PST.
(Paxson-Putnam at the 2008 FLEX Swimsuit shoot)
ÂI have no idea how much I will be on the episode, but it was a great opportunity, Paxson-Putnam said. ÂIt was an eye-opening experience and I hope to have more opportunities like it come my way.Â
First, though, Paxson-Putnam will once again mix it up on the figure stage, where she hopes the new judging criteria of rewarding more athletic and symmetrically pleasing physiques will work to her advantage.
ÂIÂm really excited to get back on stage, Paxson-Putnam said. ÂThis show seemed to be perfect timing for me. IÂve never been one of the bigger, harder girls so IÂm really excited about how the judging has started to turn toward the more mainstream look. I think it is a positive step in the fitness industry to reward that look.Â
