Monday, January 12, 2009

Finding Inspiration at the Olympia!

We all go through slumps during training.

Motivation? Where are you?

Often, we ask ourselves why we pursue such an unforgiving sport. Our muscles ache, our moods are unpredictable, we can't seem to lose weight fast enough for a show, and we feel alone.

Ice cream is calling, and we are close to picking up the phone—or a spoon.

I felt this way last fall. Post-competition blues hit me harder than ever. Training seemed meaningless. But then the opportunity of a lifetime came along: I was asked to present awards at the 2008 Olympia.

Backstage, the air was electric! Smelling the Pro Tan and seeing the stage lit up was intoxicating. I was drunk on excitement!

I watched each athlete in utter awe and admiration. I studied their movements, their energy and their presence. In those precious moments, I fell in love with competing all over again.

My happiest memory from the Olympia was presenting the Fitness Olympia award to the incredible Jen Hendershott.

When her name was called, I felt like I had won! She embodies fitness and is an incredible athlete, one who I look up to.

Now I secretly romanticize about competing in fitness. But I'll save that for another post.

Standing on that stage with so many of my heroes, I learned that you can't always find inspiration in the gym. So if your regimen is getting you down, go out there and get inspired!

Go to a local show or watch a video of a competitor you admire on Bodybuilding.com to get your mindset in the right space.

Or maybe you've already found your own special source of inspiration.

So tell me, what motivates you?

1 comment:

  1. I also get inspired by some of the great athletes we see in the pages of magazines on stage, standing proud but I also get inspired by a trainer I know who likes to post messages that inspire and one of my favorites started like this «don``t lower your expectations to meet your performance, intensify your performance to meet your expectations. Decide what you want and go for it."

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