CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE AUGUST || ISSUE 37 | Page 79

POST SHOW BLUES – IT’S REAL!
By: Natalie Waples IFBB Pro
The mentality it takes to compete is unique. It takes willpower, dedication, focus, drive,
athleticism and the ability to balance all facets of your life.
For those of you who have ever done a show,
or are planning on competing for the first time,
not a lot of people talk about what happens to
your psyche afterward but it is a very
important topic and with the recognition that 1
in 5 people suffer (1.)
from mental health issues,  it is even more
crucial to understand what goes on in your
mind (and body) after you compete and to be
able to properly manage that and resume
some degree of normalcy to your life. 
Most competition preparations are 12-16 weeks
long. Some individuals start as early as 6
months beforehand if they have a larger
amount of weight to lose. So, at a minimum, a
quarter of your year is spent focusing on one
objective, one goal, and one day. 
If you think about that in terms of the
hundreds of hours you put into training and
cardio, plus all of the meal preparation time
and the increased need for proper sleep, the
return on investment in terms of your ‘peak
performance’ time on stage is an extremely
small window. I like to compare it to climbing a
mountain – you climb the pyramid and it can
feel long, tiring, and extremely difficult, but
when you reach the top, that pinnacle moment
makes it all worthwhile.  However, you then
have to make your way down the other side of
the mountain filled with obstacles. So how do
you ensure you are taking care of yourself
after a competition, addressing any residual
emotions you may be feeling, as well as
recalibrate to normal?
1. Source: https://cmha.ca/about-cmha/fast-facts-
about-mental-illness