05 Mar The One Thing That Brings Out Our Best

There’s one thing that can really transcend each of us to another level.

That one thing is competition.

Competition brings out the best in all of us.

I’ve said before that if we are engaging in regular exercise, then by definition, we are athletes.

But, a “competitive” athlete is a different level.

Here’s a few reasons why competition brings out our best.

And, for the purposes here, I’ll share a few examples of competitions related to what I write about here at RdellaTraining.

They could be:

• Powerlifting meets
• Olympic weightlifting meets
• Girevoy Sport Kettlebell competitions (not what I’m into, but worth mentioning)
• Tactical Strength Challenge
• Local strength or fitness challenge events
• And, a case could be made that the SFG kettlebell certification fulfills the points in this article (although it’s not a competition)

Also, you should know that as I write this, I’m currently preparing for competition.

I’m not just writing about this, I’m living it.

1-FOCUS 

Deciding to compete changes everything almost instantaneously.

Once you decide to compete, now you must focus like a laser on the event and outcome that you want.

The time for randomness in our training is over.

Competing gives us incredible focus, once we decide our plan of attack for the event.

If there’s a simple way to focus your training, it would be to decide to compete.

2-EXPERIENCE

There is invaluable experience we can gain by competing.

The only way to truly understand the competitive landscape and mindset is to simply compete.

Getting out of our comfort zone and getting in a competition gives us an edge and an experience that can only make us better.

No matter the results, there will  always some positive, valuable life experience that will be gained by engaging in competition.

The practical knowledge and amazing experience by competing is something that you, and only you, will  go through.

3- IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

Training for a competitive is a sure fire way to improve your performance.

Again, one reason for this is the focused training approach you do in your pre-contest preparation and programming.

Another reason is the psychological benefits that play a significant role in competitive events.

What I mean is that when we hear the word competition, our drive and energy kicks up to another level and when this is conditioned appropriately, the results are hitting a new level of performance or a PR (personal record) at competition time.

Of course, conditioning this response is the key, so the only way do condition this type of response is to compete and compete often.

4-FUN

Let’s not forget that competing is outright fun and enjoyable.

Most people compete because it’s fun to do, or they wouldn’t compete.

Pretty obvious,right?

Competing gives us a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that’s unparalleled.

It lights a fire and gets us excited to do our best and do better than we ever have.

Competing is a blast, without question.

What about a poor performance?

Well, that will only lead to more drive and motivate us even more to do better the next time.

Having fun in competition is what it’s all about, just ask any competitive athlete.

When it’s not fun anymore, then that’s the time to call it quits.

 5-SELF DISCOVERY

You will learn things about yourself that can only be discovered in a competitive setting.

Each competition, each meet, and each event is a part of the process in our own self discovery.

Whether you’re new to competition or an experienced athlete, each event is a part of our own personal journey.

Ultimately, one of the most valuable benefits for each of us is what we learn about ourselves through the experience.

Competition develops our mind, body, and soul.

There is nothing holding us back from competition.

The truth is we’ll gain so much and learn so much about ourselves.

We just have to decided to do it.

To bring out our best (your best), there is one word that will guarantee just that.

Competition.

Now, go and compete.

Scott Iardella writes about strength training methods to optimize health and performance. If you enjoyed this article, join his list by subscribing below.