I recently competed in my second Figure competition on 25th April and qualified for the NABBA Britain finals, so this post is really a culmination of lessons I have learnt from a less than ideal preparation and a little more experience in a sport I really know little about; the beauty of which is beginners mind where possibilities are infinite.
I wrote last week about coming home to yourself; your authenticity and feeling good in your own skin. It's a process that has evolved over 35 years and will continue to do so but these days the deviation from this feeling is marginal compared to the dramatic "off coursing" of my earlier years.
Ironically, a head injury from Thai boxing and a complete loss of health and identity is what I have to thank for this. The outcome of which is huge gratitude and appreciation for my body which is now fully recovered.
I therefore came to bodybuilding (about a year ago) with a slightly different outlook on life and my body. It was an experiment in enjoying the journey; something largely missing from my formative sporting years. As with many things I do, it's usually upside down and back to front but coming to this sport and being predominantly at peace with my body has enabled me to take many different things from it. I also chose to prep myself; based on taking the path of least resistance, so my journey to the stage has been rich with experience and challenge from doing things a different way.
Often, communicating why we love something is beyond words and perhaps that is how it should be, but I do love bodybuilding so I shall try and do it justice by explaining why. Firstly, I love weight training but most importantly my journey through it has been positive, challenging, transformative (mentally and physically) and has reinforced clarity about how I view my own body.
I understand I have a limit on how far I can go in the sport because I choose a "gear-free rear". I also value my opinion of my body over those of the judges but I would still like to think there is a place for people like me in this sport, because my journey through it has been life changing. It has put me so far out of my physical and mental comfort zone and introduced me to some fascinating people. It is easy to get on with like minded people but eye opening and interesting trying to find common ground with those that see the world very differently. This is where the test comes in; and that is how grounded can I be surrounded by people that are very opinionated about the physique?
This waxes and wanes depending on all sorts of things and there are days I will put a hoodie on and avoid mirrors at all costs! It is however really good mental training to stand firmly in comfort, in your own body and for this I am grateful for the sport because it has really reinstated clarity on this issue. It makes me far more uncomfortable being around people berating their bodies. I won't be naive about the existence of body dysmorphia and constant dissatisfaction in people that do this sport; fear can no doubt be a good motivator but I believe there are other and better ways to do things.
Self-motivation is intrinsically linked to encouragement; the science of which I am interested in from an academic perspective. So, I take a much kinder and gentler approach to life and training which in turn means I can get the best from my training sessions and body. This is what I mean by "path of least resistance"; it is allowance rather than struggle. My approach is most definitely unconventional and "inside out" in all ways because it is holistic and intuitive. I meditate daily, I encourage a good relationship with ALL food (including chocolate almonds!) and don't weigh myself or my food and yet I can get great results from this. I'm healthier than I ever have been; retain a regular menstrual cycle and haven't yet experienced post competition weight rebounds.
Clarity of vision
I was fortunate to meet many inspiring ladies through my journey but my most recent acquisition was an amazing woman - to be named "wonderwoman": part boxer, part figure competitor, judge, posing coach and full time paramedic; that description really doesn't do her justice. https://www.facebook.com/emmalouise.bowen.5. We both have a love for martial arts and bodybuilding, so that creates understanding but she has the unique ability to listen and by that I mean really "listen". When someone does this, they can read between the lines, hear undertones of values and therefore give the right advice at the right time. Apart from teaching me posing and a full routine in 90 minutes flat; infused with so much humour and fun, she inspired the "ah-ha" moment right before I was about to go on stage.
A last minute change of category, being extremely tired, covered in fake tan and having eye lashes the size of a crow on my eyelids, shook my core momentarily. A last minute phone call to wonder woman and invaluable advice of "own your body - regardless of what the judges think" coming from a judge, was actually all I needed to hear, because it aligned so nicely with my values and what I know so well. In all honesty, standing on stage and performing terrifies me a little. I can do it; I can wing it and fake confidence if I have to but there has always been undertones of terror in there. This was the first time I truly enjoyed every moment and felt completely at ease with expressing how I felt about sportsmanship and the human body, because I am passionate about that message. Mental and physical wellbeing first and foremost teamed with some compassion for others.
The truth is I think anyone that gets to the point of being on stage deserves a monumental clap on the back. It's a huge achievement and so, in this particular sport I cannot be rivals with my competitors; because I have too much admiration - another reason I'll only be able to go so far! I'm at peace with that. The journey, friendships and lessons have been far more valuable.
Starting any project from a place of self-worth and feeling good really makes the process fun and successful. So actually I would be so bold as to say, this is the place to start. It's not a conventional approach but having sat on the other side of this for the majority of my life I can't imagine an alternative.
No comments:
Post a Comment