The other part that I see athlete ’ s often neglect is their ability to “ suffer .” I say suffer not in a bad way , but in a way that most will understand as the ability to tolerate discomfort and be okay with it day after day . Being hungry and tired for 1 day is tolerable , but can you do it for 1 week ? What about 1 month ? What about longer ?
We have so many “ gurus ” out there now talking about how much cardio is too much cardio and how many calories are too low etc . and although these may be loose guidelines , people take it as gospel . They will use the example of the 1 person out of 1000 who got in amazing condition doing 20 minutes of cardio 3x a week and say “ I do not want to increase cardio as I will fry out my central nervous system .”
Sure , sometimes athletes will overdo the cardio or the caloric deficit and have a “ stringy ” looking physique . But this is rarely the case and oftentimes it is the opposite scenario where we see somebody not come in shape because they simply did not push their mind and body to the place needed to get into the necessary shape to place higher at a show . There is no “ right way ” to achieve a muscular and shredded look into a show . There are techniques that will most likely work for you , and the key is paying attention to which one works best for you not only in terms of actual results but one that you can stick to .
For example , if you respond great to a high volume , twice a day , 6 times a week training split ( most don ’ t ) but you work 2 jobs and are a single dad of 3 kids , this approach will most likely not work for you as you probably won ’ t be able to stick with it in the long term . Or , if you respond great to keto but you absolutely hate eating fats , that approach will most likely not work for you because you will not be able to stick to it long term .
It frustrates me hearing “ gurus ” and coaches speaking in absolute black and white terms when it comes to this sport . Most things in this sport are not black and white and having the ability to analyze and recognize what methods work best for you is one of the keys to being successful in this journey .
Lastly , one of the major points I see athletes forget when keeping in mind the “ big picture ” is the ability to make things happen NO MATTER WHAT !
What do I mean by this ? It is about being able to adapt to whatever life throws at you and making the best of that scenario .
Forgot your meals at home ? Either call your work and say you will be late , find a local restaurant that can cook plain food for you or end up at MacDonald ’ s buying grilled chicken burgers and try to match the macros .
Pulled your adductor doing lunges ? Leg press with a close stance that does not hurt it further .