TRAINING
THE MENTAL ASPECTS
OF COMPETING
By : Frank Gigante , Natural Pro Tony Wild Photography
Stepping on stage as a fitness competitor can be a rewarding experience . For many , it is an opportunity to showcase the culmination of months and years of hard work . Competing does not appeal to everyone , but if you are considering competing in any fitness category , here are some guidelines and pointers to consider before you begin . There are many articles , websites , coaches , and apps that provide resources , plans , and blueprints for contest preparation . One can Google any aspect of contest dieting , training , and even posing , and find a long list of resources to consult . But there are many other aspects to contest prep besides those obvious pieces , and it is those intangibles that I want to address in this article .
SPORT BY CHOICE
Competing is a personal choice , and not a mandatory measure of fitness , expertise , or knowledge . Becoming a competitor on any level , is simply an individual choice to take one ’ s fitness journey to another level . It is not forced upon us . It is not torture . It is not a punishment . It is not something we need to look for sympathy because we are in this situation . If you do not want to do it , don ’ t . Competing is not a measure of one ’ s fitness success or failure . Competing is simply an individual ’ s decision to take their fitness journey in a different direction . With that said , when preparing for a contest , it will take an enormous amount of mental discipline and drive to continue on that path and see one ’ s plans through , not only to contest day , but also well beyond when the contest ends .
IT IS ABOUT THE JOURNEY , NOT THE DESTINATION
With the continual visual bombardment on social media , we see photos and videos all day long of competitors and non-competitors 14 Natural Muscle Magazine October 2016
alike and it is near impossible not to compare ourselves to them . This is never a fair comparison and does more harm than good most times . We are seeing people at their best , usually in controlled lighting , at the times they choose , so these photos are more of a highlight reel than the day to day reality of which we see ourselves . There really is no comparison to be made except in our mind we do it anyway and decide we want to be there , or look like that , or should look like that and berate ourselves because we don ’ t . This is all in our own head and needs to stop .
Getting on stage is really a small part of a much larger picture . A competitor focuses on the stage , on what they want to look like , on winning a competition , but there are far greater forces at work which are much more valuable and important . The reality is that once on stage , the events are all out of our hands . We , as competitors , have no control over what the judges see , who else is on stage , and what they have brought to the stage . Therefore , the goals and achievements of a competitor must be set and accomplished before ever setting foot on stage . Being on stage is merely the presentation of all the hard work and the showcase of the transformation that took place throughout the prep and even long before that . Yes , everyone wants to win . Winning happens before walking out on that stage .
The goals of the competitor are dependent upon where they are in their fitness experience , journey and what they wish to accomplish by competing in each contest . Those goals change every time . A competitor may not place at all in a contest , but have worked to be in the best shape of their life so far . That is a win and a goal accomplished . The many weeks of prep , the experience in the gym long before they thought of competing , and overcoming obstacles to get to the stage are all areas to be proud of and those experiences will mean more than a trophy . Also , having gone through a competition , whether it is the first or one hundredth , brings with it valuable learning experiences which could not have happened without actually doing the work and participating in that competition . These are stepping stones along the journey .
With every experience , and with every contest , one continues to build on knowledge and gets better . Also , building lean muscle , and having a sculpted physique , no matter which category one competes , takes time . Each competitor has a different level of experience and time put into building their physique , which adds to the unique , individual journey that cannot be compared as a universal or fair comparison . Relish in your own journey and know it is part of a continuum and not an end result .
YOU VS YOU
On contest day , competitors are lined up and scored individually , but also in comparison to others . This usually occurs over several rounds of competition , but in total amounts to an hour or two . Compared to the months and years of work put in , this is a miniscule part of the equation . You only compete with yourself . The battles are fought day after day . They are in the decisions to get up early , to skip a particular dessert , to push for one more rep or one more minute while training . They are in the struggles of questioning , “ Can you really do this ?” and “ How much more can you do ?” No one can answer those questions but you . No one can push you harder than you will push yourself . This is where the magic happens . These are the toughest moments of contest preparation . The training is almost the easy part . It is the mental tenacity and focus that is the most difficult .
One is wise to build a team of people that will provide constant support and guidance throughout contest prep . While ultimately , the decision to compete , to push harder or to not compete rests with the individual , having a supportive network of people who care and want to see one do their best , whether they compete or not is invaluable . Also , having an outside and objective perspective is tremendously valuable during a prep . During prep , one ’ s own perspective of progress and decisions is often easily swayed by mood , energy level , and confidence at any given moment . It is often not the most accurate and so being able to rely on a support team is crucial and a welcomed relief .