CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE September/October 2020 | Page 46

MAKE SURE IT IS THE
RIGHT TIME FOR YOU TO COMPETE
DARREN MEHLING BA CSCS PRESIDENT FREAK FITNESS ONLINE
There is no denying
that preparing for a
bodybuilding contest,
no matter what division
you compete in, is tough.
But it is the challenges
that you will overcome
along the way to the stage
that makes the experience so
rewarding. It is the personal growth
and development that makes the journey so worth
it!
If you have not prepared for a show yet, anyone who
has will tell you that stress is part of the contest
prep process. Intense training, caloric restriction,
and competition excitement in appropriate levels
are necessary for you to progress and ultimately
step on stage looking your best.
In the real world though, life can present us with
additional stress. Unless you live on an isolated
island and have unlimited resources to support
yourself, there is a good chance you may have:
• A high stress job or business
• Intense class and homework schedule
• Conflict at home with your spouse, partner,
and/or children,
• Poor quality or not enough sleep
• Financial trouble or uncertainty
All these challenges can add to the level of stress
you have to deal with while in contest preparation.
Do not get me wrong, most of us have to deal with
some or all of these things. And if you have the
time, money, and resources to manage
it all then you will be great and you will
continue to thrive!
But when it all starts to become too
much, your body can start to send you
subtle signs that you may have to slow
down.
When you are in contest prep, these
signs usually start as chronic irritability,
loss of appetite, decrease in energy,
inability to recover from your workouts,
and progressive insomnia. If you do not
take corrective actions to reduce these
symptoms, your body can take more
active measures to protect itself.
Eventually, your weight loss or progress
can stall, or even worse, you can begin
to GAIN weight!
At this point, many mistake this weight
gain as an indication to increase cardio
or cut more calories, but I hope you can
see how this is wrong and would make
things even worse.
46