The Truth About Self-Confidence

• How I Deal with Doubt

• My Olympia Prep Workout

• Simple Ways to Recover

Over the last few days, I’ve been blown away by the messages of support from so many of you after my latest Olympia Classic Physique win.

Your encouragement truly means the world to me.

There’s no question you’ve helped keep me going during the tough times — when training and dieting were brutal, or when I had to push through injuries.

I’m human, and like anyone else, doubts can creep in.

When people see a champion on stage, it’s easy to think they don’t deal with insecurities or fears. But I think the idea of unwavering self-confidence is a myth.

What I’ve learned is that true confidence is being honest with yourself and acknowledging your fears, not denying them.

When competitors say, “I know I’ll win next year,” they’re lying to themselves to manage the uncertainty.

For me, confidence is admitting, “I don’t know if I can do this,” and embracing that doubt.

That’s what real confidence is built on — being realistic. If you try to convince yourself you’re sure of something when you’re not, it just adds stress and makes it harder to perform.

The truth is, no matter how many titles you win, the fears never fully disappear. I’ve tried to get rid of them, but they’re always there saying, “What if you can’t?”

But over the last six years, I’ve learned those doubts don’t have to linger, and I can perform at my best despite them.

Who says you can’t win while feeling uncertain? The only rule to being a champion is that there are no rules.

Whatever works for you, whatever helps you win — that’s what matters.

And over time, we can learn to trust our intuition no matter how we choose to approach a challenge.

Whether you feel playful, intense, quiet, or doubtful, if you show up as your true self and act on your instinct, you’ll be a winner no matter what the outcome.

One way I try to manage fear is to treat it as excitement, because I know it usually shows up when something I’ve worked hard for is getting close.

Trust me when I tell you, there’s a power in embracing that stress and anxiety and leaning into it, instead of trying to avoid it.

Even when it comes to health issues, where fear can be more complicated, I’ve learned to sit with what I’m experiencing and just feel it.

A big part of handling it for me is giving those feelings the validation they deserve.

Often, that means opening up to someone I trust. I tend to keep things to myself, but when I talk it out, I always feel more at ease.

The bottom line is that there are no guarantees in life, and acting like there are won’t help you manage the uncertainty we all live with every day.

True confidence isn’t about being fearless — it’s about embracing your doubts and showing up anyway.

Set The Standard!

Chris

This week’s workout is one I used when transitioning from my offseason program to Olympia prep.

I was still lifting super heavy to keep the look and strength that I had built, but I also started incorporating a few different variables from Justin King to make sure my body stayed injury-free.

In the workout, you’ll see I added quarter reps to the bottom of some movements, slower tempos in the eccentric phase, and some less conventional movements.

This became one of my favorite workouts, and I think you’ll like it too. Download the STNDRD app in the link at the end of the newsletter to get the entire Olympia prep.

• A) 45-Degree Semi-Pronated DB Press, 4x6, 50X0, w/3 min. rest

• B) Decline Converging Press 1 1/4 @ bottom, 4x8, 4010, 150 sec. rest

• C) 15-Degree DB Unrolling Fly 3x10-12, 3010, w/2 min. rest

• D1) 45-Degree Rope Functional Trainer Clavicular Fly, 3x12,15, 20, 3010, w/1 min. rest

• D2) Decline DB Triceps Extension 1 1/4 @ bottom, 3x8,10, 12, 3110, w/1 min. rest

• E) EZ Bar Flat Triceps Extension, 5x6, 4111, w/1 min. rest

Q: Hi Chris, what do you focus on for recovery, especially when you’re feeling overtrained?

 — Matt S., Oklahoma City

A: Hey Matt, sleep is probably the number one thing. Lose any bit of sleep and your body suffers. I get 8 hours no matter what, and I usually aim for 9 since I don’t always sleep through the night.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed that cutting back on training volume has helped me make progress and feel better. Allowing myself more time to recover has actually made me stronger.

(But if you’re 19, don’t listen to me, go balls to the wall and enjoy this time of life since it doesn’t last. Just read your body and when you start to feel a little tired, take a break.)

I find ice baths and the sauna both help me feel better faster. Also, active recovery, doing cardio to warm up and stretching immediately after, works for me.

Obviously, protein intake is always huge, but don’t worry about timing, I don’t think it really matters, just try to spread it out during the day.

Check out RAW Nutrition’s Protein Collection for a wide range of of quality options, including isolates, micro-filtered blends, and anabolic formulations. Use promo code CBUM for your best deal.

 Question for Chris? Email [email protected] and we’ll consider it for inclusion in a future issue of The Standard.

Champion Mentality

“If I could go back in time, I’d tell the younger me: You’re going to do some pretty great things. But you don’t need to be great, all you need to do is be yourself, that will always be enough.” 

Introducing: The New STNDRD in Fitness!

I’m stoked to launch my new app STNDRD. It’s stacked with my latest plans, programs, and tips. Download it on Apple or Google Play. 

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