A reflection on why I compete and what I focus on.
In the last six months I've competed in three big competitions, The Canadian National Master's Weightlifting Championships, the Saskatchewan Powerlifting provinicials and the Wodapalooza Fitness Festival. I've been competing in sport for 30 years and I'm still learning on how to improve. I find that nothing is menatlly more challenging then a sporting competition. I find that so many of us start off as so extrinsically focused. Looking only at the standings and only being happy if we won. Heck even only picking sports or events that we could medal in just to say you medalled. I'll admit to falling prey to this myself at times. But I love the challenge of focusing on delivering on my game plan. I found that over time I've become the happiest not by my final standing (though I love winning as much as the next guy) but how well I did on the things that I can controlled. Here are the five things that I control and therefore focus on:
1. Effort: At Wodapalooza, weightlifting nationals and powerlifting provinicials I walked away incredibly happy because because my effort was 100%. Two resulted in provincial and national championships the other in 11th overall in my division. Even though I didn't win at Wodapalooza I walked away satisfied that I did the best I could on that weekend.
2. Mindset: There is nothing that I find relieves competition anxiety then focusing on what you can control and being optimistic. In competitons I only focused on what I had to do next, not two lifts later, or the next WOD. At Wodapalooza I didn't know the exact details of the WODs sometimes minutes before I had to perform the WOD, didn't matter, I knew I could do anything they threw at me, I just had to focus on the first part of any WOD. You want to wreck your mental game and hate competing, focus on all the stuff that you can't control - the WODs, the competitors, the weather, the venue...
3. Training - In both instances I tailored my training appropiraitely, understanding the demands that my body would be facing and adjusting my weeks accordingly. When I find a hole in my game I look for category experts to help me. This past year I've read a ton of books on squatting (PR my squat at provincials at 490lbs at a BW of only 175slbs) I've source an endurance/swimming coach and a rowing coach. But a training plan on paper is nothing unless you approach it with focus and desire to improve. I train everyday with a goal to improve.
4. Recovery - This is something that I 've worked diligently on over the last decade, espescially now as I approach my 40th birthday. Proper recovery makes all the difference on your last WOD and lifts. Everyone starts off every competiton like they are shot out of a canon, but only those that stay true to their recovery after each lift or WOD will have the juice to perform in the latter rounds. I commit to injesting enough fuel after each WOD regardless how I feel.
5. Execution of game plan: At powerlifing provinicials, I won on my last lift. However I could of won with a very conservative last deadlift, however I didn't even know at the time where my nearest competitor stood. My goal was to improve on my best total ever and pull a PR deadlift which I did. At Wodapalooza I had a goal for every WOD. I take pride in delivering on my game plan. Sometimes it leads me to victory and others times I get beaten, but having agame plan helps me focus on my task and what I can control. I don't get pulled into other peoples game.