CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE FALL ISSUE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER | Page 80

CONTINUED... Social media is a distraction that can greatly hinder a bodybuilder’s ability to focus on their job, i.e., training, diet, posing, routine.  Even pro level bodybuilders can experience moments of self-doubt, which affects their stage performance, from reading the Facebook and Instagram posts and replies of readers to both their own and some of their competitor’s posts.  They take this outside negative chatter personally, which can contaminate their thoughts, undermine their ‘flow’, and create a huge mental performance hurdle. As challenging as outside chatter can be, to reach your potential as a bodybuilder, you can learn how to focus through these distractions.  Let me return to social media as an example.  It’s common for bodybuilders to be on social media so whether it’s intentional or unintentional, negative chatter will be read.  To focus through this distraction, the bodybuilder can say to him/herself, “people are one keystroke away from accessing me.  Why would I allow people who know nothing about me have an opinion that matters to me?  Why would I allow them to have that power … that space in my mind?”  With this awareness, you can then decide to not let other people’s opinions reside in your mind.   What will you focus on instead?  Create your own bubble to deal with the problem of outside distractions.  This is known as ‘a Zero Dark Bubble’ where in this space you only allow positivity and laser focus on your job at that moment.  No one else and nothing else exists. As a bodybuilder, you don't want to invite distractions and negativity into your mindset. You want to take control of what you focus on and stay focused in your performance bubble. How to Overcome Outside Distractions: Create your Zero Dark Bubble.  Your bubble can be an imaginary one that is around the bench/machine/rack with which you’re training, the space in which you’re posing, and the stage when performing quarter turns, poses, and/or routines. Decide to focus on what you can control in your bodybuilding environment--your thoughts and performance. When you notice that you're distracted by external stuff beyond your control, stop and refocus back to your Zero Dark Bubble. If you need help addressing outside distractions and negativity , contact me at [phone] or email me at [email protected] so you can learn how to regain control and focus on your zero dark performance bubble.