CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE FALL ISSUE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER | Page 79

ZERO DARK
BUBBLE FOR
BODYBUILDERS
BY LESLEY TIMBOL (ADAPTED FROM PATRICK COHN AT PEAK
PERFORMANCE SPORTS, LLC.)
Are you familiar with the expression, "living in a bubble,"
which infers that you're living in your own little world
impervious to what is going on around you?  That’s not a
bad thing in bodybuilding.
The phrase, "performing in a bubble" refers to a
bodybuilder’s ability to block out distractions and focus
on their job.  That means they’re immersed in the
moment which could be the muscle group they’re
contracting when doing each rep while training in the
gym.  That also means they ignore the outside chatter of
other gym members or avoid scouting around the gym
for attractive people.  Getting into that mental state
where you are totally focused is challenging.
A simple fact:  It's hard to ignore other people’s
opinions, social media comments, competitor’s
opinions, spectator’s jeers and coach’s remarks. 
There is an abundance of distractions in bodybuilding
so as a bodybuilder, do you have a strategy on how
to address such distractions?  Saying to yourself just
ignore them may not be sufficient.
Let’s take social media for
example.  Have you ever gone on
Facebook or Instagram to check
out your competition’s progress
pics, especially the week or weeks
leading up to the show?  How did
that affect you?  Curiosity can kill
self confidence, especially when
already experiencing low energy
levels due to the restrictive diet
and insomnia.
What internal conversations did
you have with yourself?  Were you
comparing your progress  or
certain body parts with your
competition?  Did this negative
chatter continue throughout the
day and perhaps into your
training?  How did it affect your
training?