Competitive Sports and Contest Prep – Unleashing Your Inner Athlete

By Ariana Krmec – Playing competitive sports builds character in a way that no other hobby does. You are forced to keep going when you are tired…. You continue to play through injuries and play during times of personal stress or tragedy- the emotional battles that you face during these critical times are the battles that form your inner athlete – an athlete who is ready to tackle ALL of life’s obstacles head-on.

The physical demand that high-level sports have on your body and mind force you to be more resilient. When you are faced with a challenge in life, you reflect on all the wear and tear that you have been through over the years in games and training, and you face the challenge with more strength.

Having played competitive sports my whole life, I decided to take on a new route this year and enter a fitness competition. Contest prep unleashed my inner athlete on a whole new level. I was no longer competing with other players. There were no politics or coaches standing in my way of getting to the stage. Everyday was a battle between my inner athlete and my physical self.

When I felt like my body was shutting down and getting the physique I wanted for stage felt so far out of reach, my inner athlete kept pushing- pushing through every work out, every rep, and every meal. I would remember a time when I was playing in an important hockey game, struggling with an injury like a pulled groin where every stride on the ice would hurt, but it wasn’t enough to shut down the inner athlete.

It made me think “how hard can another work out be? I’ve pushed my body through worse before.” Had I not played competitive sports all these years and been through so many mental and physical battles, I strongly believe that I would have still made it to the stage, BUT I would not have pushed my body to the limits that I had and achieved the leanness and physique that I was able to.

Competitive sports teach you discipline, focus, and most importantly and sense of body awareness. You learn to understand signals that your body gives you, and how to respond accordingly. Through sports you develop skills such as time management that can be applied to all aspects of life and especially contest prep – meal prepping and timing of your workouts.

If you are a competitive athlete who is looking to challenge yourself in a whole new dimension, consider entering a fitness competition. Everyday will be another day in the gym where you are competing against your OWN mental barriers. You will learn the TRUE power that your mind and inner athlete have on your physical performance and capabilities.

One Comment

1. Pingback: NPC Fitness Competitor Alayne Corum | Muscle Sport Magazine