HOW TO COPE
WITH
UNEXPECTED
CHALLENGES IN
BODYBUILDING
BY LESLEY TIMBOL (ADAPTED FROM PATRICK COHN AT PEAK
PERFORMANCE SPORTS, LLC.)
“Expect the unexpected” is a notion that is good
in theory but rarely put into action by
bodybuilders. The unexpected happens
frequently in competition but rarely are
bodybuilders prepared to deal with it.
Many bodybuilders train and practise expecting
to perform under ideal conditions but, when
things go slightly wrong, it can generate so
much anxiety and ruin competitive
performance.
The following examples illustrate how the
unexpected can hurt a bodybuilder’s
performance:
A male bodybuilder had followed his peak week
regiment that had worked incredibly well in the
past expecting similar results. However, the
morning of the show, his muscle bellies were
not full, as they had been in the past, which
threw off his posing as he knew his physique
and conditioning wasn’t where he wanted it to
be.
A female bikini competitor had
practised religiously in her
competition heels to feel comfortable
while doing her walk, front & back
stances, and turns. Backstage while
waiting for her category to be called
out, she was rehearsing in her heels
but one of her heels broke.
While she had packed a back up pair
of heels, she had not practised in
them. She worried as these back up
heels felt a bit different and she
couldn’t move as gracefully with
them.
This worry consumed her thoughts
which affected her model walk and
her performance during the
comparison round.