CONTINUED...
Proactively, he can plan in advance what works
for his body by testing out various techniques
well before the show. The bikini competitor
can practise in both sets of heels, and even a
third pair.
PREPARING FOR THE
UNEXPECTED
You cannot train for every possible scenario but
you can learn to be flexible so you can better
manage obstacles that are thrown your way.
Develop plan B. "If this happens, I will do this.”
Start by thinking about what might throw off your
performance. What has rattled you in the past,
such as other competitors getting louder audience
applause, performing against familiar competitors
who scored better than you in past shows, seeing
backstage the ‘where the hell did that athlete
come from’ as their physique and conditioning
looks stronger than yours, and so on.
Sometimes, things don’t go as planned but that
doesn’t
mean things will go badly. If you practise and plan for
different, less-than-optimal circumstances, you will not
be totally thrown off your game when the unexpected
strikes.
To clarify, uncertainty causes anxiety. But when you
understand that perfect conditions are not guaranteed,
you can maintain a sense of calm and still perform
well in a variety of adverse/unexpected conditions.
Stuff changes all the time in any competitive sport and
having a contingency plan in place for when
circumstances are not optimal is an effective strategy
for being a successful bodybuilder. For example, the
male bodybuilder’s situation described above can have
a contingency plan by having things (i.e., certain
foods) already in place if a worst case scenario
happens.
Think about how you will cope with these
challenges by developing a positive response to
each challenge that helps you stay focused and
composed.
Work on your new coping action during practice!
If you need help preparing for the unexpected,
contact me at (416) 805-6155 or email me at
[email protected] so you can benefit from learning
and practising new coping actions.