Ever since she was a little girl, Tanji Johnson Bridgeman knew what she was going to do when she grew up. A self-proclaimed military boy, his father served in it. United States Army, and that meant moving around the world for his career. She looks back fondly on her childhood because it meant her father was able to move away from Georgia, and he was the first to do so.
“He was raised by his grandmother in the hoods of Atlanta because his mother had him when he was 16. “He grew up in a bad neighborhood and in poverty,” Bridgman said. He became a man who set an example because he went out, and he had a family with well-educated children.
Bridgman said proudly that he was fortunate that his father served and was able to travel to Germany, Korea, Louisiana and other locations before retiring to the state of South Carolina. As for Tanji, after taking Junior ROTC classes in high school, he chose to serve in the United States Air Force, following in the footsteps of one of his brothers. In addition to serving her country, he laid the groundwork for her to go to college if she wanted to. his
“My dad said I had a couple of options. I could get a four-year scholarship through the ROTC program, or you could be like your brother and get a direct appointment through one of the military academies. can.” When his father suggested the Air Force, he took the advice.
In five years of service, Bridgman would receive numerous honors, including the Air Force Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. She recalled that her proudest moment in the service came when she was stationed in England during the Kosovo crisis in the late 1990s. As a lieutenant, she was responsible for more than 200 troops and eight aircraft that were positioned to support troops in action.
“It was a moment when you realized you were part of something bigger than yourself. Our mission was to provide fuel to the warfighters who were going into the danger zone. We were overseas in that support role. I just wanted to I remember how important it felt to be a part of something really important.”
After his military career ended, Johnson pursued another passion: fitness. With his experience cheering as a foundation at the Air Force Academy, he took that commitment to the highest level by becoming an IFBB Pro in the early days of the fitness division. Johnson not only competed, but was very successful as a professional athlete. He won 11 pro competitions and graced the Olympia stage on numerous occasions. She finished second at Olympia in 2011 and 2015. His career highlight may have been when he won the prestigious Fitness International title at the 2013 Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio.
“I’ll never forget that moment because I was crying. Arnold (Schwarzenegger) came up to me and asked why I was crying. I took the microphone and told him I had waited ten years for him to shake my hand. .
While the moment was a decade in the making, Bridgman said she wouldn’t change a thing. He saw his fitness career evolve just as he had at the Air Force Academy.
“It’s the cream of the crop that goes into the academy. So, you already think you’re all that and a bag of chips, but they break you down. Then, little by little, they build you back up. “That’s how I look at my fitness career. I got my pro card quickly, but then it took me so long to win the Arnold.
Bridgman is no longer active as a competitor, but she still serves the bodybuilding community as a leader, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. While she was competing, she also started making changes to the show’s promotions. She now owns and operates the Tanji Johnson Classic, which has become a prestigious amateur title in the NPC. Not only does Johnson want to pay back the industry that helped her, she wants to make it better for future competitors.
“I love what the industry has done for me in terms of personal growth, how it’s helped me as an entrepreneur, and how it’s really enhanced my life,” he shared. “When things happen that aren’t always positive, you can either let it go or be the light. I want to be the light. I’ve always been about doing something about change.”
Bridgman himself stays in shape, training with dumbbells, bodyweights, and other methods outside of the gym. She may not be competing, but she knows the importance of health and fitness as she gets older. With November being National Military Health and Wellness Month, she hopes she can be an example to other veterans to ensure improvement. He believes that starting with finding something to be passionate about as you transition from military service into the next phase of life.
“That right can be a struggle for some people because some people don’t even know what they’re going to do. If they don’t have the same sense of value or worth, it can be difficult,” she said. said. “After my competitive career ended, I allowed myself to be gentle with my body and took time to see what physical fitness would look like for me after retirement. We as service members need to love ourselves and take the same steps so we can take care of our loved ones.
Bridgman also wants to see future service members perform at their best in the years to come. As a former admissions counselor at the Air Force Academy, she wanted to meet people who wanted to join the military. Those who are going to serve will follow in his footsteps that he helped establish.
“When people are waiting to find out who they want to be, the waiting time is very important. They can waste it or it can be productive. They can come into the military young and be short. Can do term service, which can be a way to transition. I thought I would live, but then I developed a passion to be a professional athlete, and I turned to a career like that. Which I’m very proud of. The option is still there for young people.”
Follow Tanji on Instagram. @officialtanjijohnson .
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