JOSH THOMPSON
JOSH THOMPSON
HOW LONG IS THE ROAD TO PRO FOR A NATURAL BODYBUILDER?
My name is Josh Thompson, I am going to share a bit about my journey to becoming a Natural Classic Physique IFBB Pro. In hopes that I can shorten the distance of the journey for the aspiring Pro bodybuilders in the CPA.
My journey into bodybuilding started the day I witnessed my very first local bodybuilding show in 2015. I was so ecstatic from the events that transpired that day, that I committed to the journey of my first competition prep, and stepped on stage 1 year later in 2016.
After this first show in 2016.— I knew that I could and would become an IFBB Pro one day, as a Natural Athlete. But— The path I took to get there was very far from a straight shot … I have made many mistakes, taken as many wrong turns or set backs as I could possibly make. Yet I still made it to my originally planned destination.( 8 years later in 2024 …)
5 Mistakes I Made On My Road To Pro And How To Avoid Them.
1. Financial Stability. Something I do not recommend is not being prepared for the financial commitment to this sport. Not being financially stable really hindered the amount of shows I competed in my earlier years; it also influenced my dedication to feeding myself properly in the“ OFF” Season.
2. There Is No“ Off” Season. I missed out on ALOT of progress in my first years of competing. Simply because I didn’ t fully commit to a GROW Season. I took the time outside of prep to let my consistency inside and outside the gym slip, rather than doubling down. The moment I got my GROW Seasons in order. My placings improved.
3. You Can Do Anything, But You Can’ t Do Everything. I have a perpetual habit of spreading myself too thin. Like working 2-3 jobs while on prep for a show all the way up til 2 days out. This drastically reduced my ability to look my best up until last year. When I prioritized my show over everything and had proper rest ethic. The outcome was night and day difference.
4. Surround Yourself With The Right People. Bodybuilding is a solo journey, in a lot of ways people will never understand or care about the path you are on. But in order to succeed you need a support system, A team of coaches / mentors to guide your journey in the right direction. Not everybody in your corner needs to be on your path, but as long as their presence in your life helps you focus on your goals, rather than distract. You ' ll know when you have the right people in your corner, because your trajectory will skyrocket.
5. Work Hard, Rest Harder. Again, this took me a lot of years to learn the hard way. But unstructured down time can quickly lead you off track.
Establishing a structured rest protocol into your routine will help balance the brutal physical intensity this sport requires. In order to push the limits in the gym and reap the benefits, you should have a go-to list of activities or pastimes that relax, rejuvenate and restore energy.
Now, there are so many ways that I want to give back to the sport of bodybuilding … But for now—