Feel Strong, Look Strong, BE Strong
07
Mar
Feel Strong, Look Strong, BE Strong
Reading time - 7 mins
As a previous WBFF Fitness World Champion, Hattie Boydle knows a thing or two about being strong, and not just in the physical sense - she also embodies mental and emotional strength. I sat down with her to find out what may be stopping you from seeing the results you want in your physique, how to be focused whilst also being able to 'enjoy life', personal growth, and her comp prep plans this year. This is part 1 of our chat. Read on!
Whether you're looking to become a pro bodybuilder or not, you're probably here because you have some serious performance and body composition goals you want to reach. Whether you're just starting your journey or have been training for years, Hattie has some words of wisdom to share when it comes to getting next-level results. Are you stuck at a plateau right now? Want to know how the pros think and move?
It's time to learn from the best!
Some reasons why you're not getting the results you want:
1. Your nutrition is off: "Most people think they are tracking nutrition when they're not... or, they're checking their nutrition from Monday to Friday, but Saturday and Sunday they're not. They're going so far off the calories, or drinking their calories or measuring or weighing wrong, because human error could be up to 25% off."
2. You aren't achieving progressive overload: "They're doing the same thing all the time, so they're not actually challenging the body, so therefore they're not getting results anymore."
3. You keep getting injured/ not focus on recovery: "You can't build a house on sand. So most people aren't getting stronger because there's a weakness somewhere, there's a weakness in the chain. So your nervous system will stop you from getting stronger because it knows there's a weakness, an energy leak somewhere. So it'll compensate and it'll do the movement, but you will eventually break down - your technique will break down, you'll injure yourself, or youll just plateau.. I always say, like we're only as strong as our weakest link, and most people need a general preparation phase where they are working on their structure, to be structurally balanced before they start to build the house."
What it's like competing to be a world champion at WBFF?
Competing at this level isn't for the faint-hearted - Hattie tells me how she 'disappears for 6 months of the year' in order to get in the kind of condition necessary to win on the world stage. This isn't just about having fun or beating your former self, but going in with a mindset to win. For this reason, if she feels she can't bring her best, she will let go of this comp and spend time preparing for the next one.
"The standard that I set for myself has to be the standard that I live by.... I'm in it to win it", Hattie says.
Prior to COVID, Hattie had competed 5-6 years, coming 2nd place for 3 years in a row.
"2019 was my favourite physique so far.. I was more streamlined, better proportioned.. I felt like I really nailed the package really well.. strong but feminine".
In bodybuilding, you're dealing with a lot of personal opinions.
You have to be strategic about how you present yourself, so you have a balancing act between what you want and what the judges want. Finding the right balance for stage, and the right balance for the off season is important - you want to be able to feel confident year-round, not just for a day or a couple of weeks.
The package is everything - 'even if you have a bikini that doesn't fit right, it totally ruins your physique'. You have to think of the right colours for your skin tone, plus think of the correct hair and makeup that will suit you most. Remember that everyone has different opinions of what is ideal, too - Hattie even tells me she was once told her hair was too long, and they didn't like her armband!
Training isn't all about just being physically fit and looking good. If you really want to BE strong, there is a whole deeper personal growth side to it which we explored - Stay tuned for part two coming your way soon. In the meantime....
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