Zig Ziglar said “If you dream it, then you can achieve it.”
While I agree that’s an important part of the equation, it isn’t all of it. You have to work hard to make that dream reality as well.
My dream to become an IFBB Pro began when I fell in love with the bodybuilding world at 15.
From the second I laid my eyes on Cory Everson’s book, “Fat Free and Fit,” I was hooked. I loved the way her muscles looked and this led me to focus on achieving that goal. Not only did I want to look like Cory but I also wanted to compete on the bodybuilding stage as well.
This led me to be the only female in my small-town high school who would weight train in the gym. I was also the only one eating water-packed tuna and brown rice for lunch when everyone else had their poutine and hamburgers. I read everything I could about nutrition, training and competing. Later, I pursued degrees in Kinesiology and Nutrition.
In my freshman year at university, when I was 19, I came across my first issue of Oxygen Magazine. It was full of pictures of women who had the exact physique I wanted. They were competing in “Fitness” category of bodybuilding. The “fitness” category requires a smaller physique than the “bodybuilder” category. I felt it was more feminine and knew, immediately, that it was the category I wanted to compete in someday. As an added bonus…I liked the fact that it had a gymnastics/dance routine round too. A great way to combine a great physique with athleticism. I would need to train hard in more than just the gym to be good at fitness.
I knew then that I wanted to be an IFBB pro. Why? Because when you become an IFBB Pro, you join the roster of some of the greatest physique competitors in the world. Rachael Mclish, Cory Everson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, Sergio Olivia and more modern-day champions such as Monica Brant, Jennifer Gates, Ronnie Coleman and Lenda Murray. The calibre of these athletes is a combination of genetics and a commitment to excellence.
Can you become an IFBB Pro?
In all honesty, not everyone is blessed with the structure to become an IFBB Pro in their chosen category, but if you really feel committed to it then you should go for it anyway. After all, when I started out there was no way for me to know if I had the right structure or not; I just knew I loved it! The journey to competition is fun and empowering, and life is really about the journey…not the destination.
So train hard, follow a proper diet and keep your lifestyle as clean and healthy as possible to maximize whatever structure you have to the highest level. It can take many years to build the type of muscle maturity you see in many of today’s top competitors. You will have to work hard!
The 5 Characteristics You Need to Become an IFBB Pro
- Clarity: Be absolutely clear on what you want to achieve and what you’ll need to do to get there.
- Commitment: Once you know what you need to do in Step #1, you must actually do it. To achieve excellence in anything requires commitment and sacrifice. You’ll have to be prepared to make short-term sacrifices for long-term gains. Your lifestyle will need to be centered around the pursuit of this goal. It’s a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-per-week commitment. Either go hard or go home!
- Determination: There will be tough days and tough times. There will be wins and there will be losses, but victory will come from staying the course and knowing that every “down” experience will be followed by an “up” experience. Why? Because you will learn from every failure and make that part of your strength.
- Passion: If you want to be the best in anything then you better have a passion for it. Becoming an IFBB Pro means you’ll have to love the day-to-day training, dieting, competing and, yes, even the sacrifices. When you work hard at what you’re most passionate about you’re assured of success.
- Support: You cannot do this alone. Enlist the support of family and friends to help you achieve your goal. Get out there and meet people who can offer advice and support: fellow aspiring athletes, judges, sponsors and a great coach. You will need the support of a team to go all the way to pro.
No, the road to becoming an IFBB Pro isn’t easy, but that’s what makes it a worthy and fulfilling goal to pursue. If it’s in your heart as your true passion, and you’re willing to take all the steps to get there, then it’s not a question of “if” but when?
When will you get started pursuing your dream? Now is always the best time.
If you’re keen to compete, definitely drop by and read my Tuesday post. My client, Eftihia, is competing on the stage this Saturday and I’ll be writing all about how it went for her and what she learned from it.
Yours in health,
Tammy
