E
veryone has a zone. A place
where mental prep translates
into peak performance. It
elevates you to a whole new
level, priming your body for the
ultimate workout and arming you
with the edge you need to dominate
each rep. It’s the difference between
a throwaway session or a rush of
endorphins so strong you’re already
thinking about the next workout.
But what happens when you’re
struggling to align your mind and
body? For every motivational
message in your head there’s
another voice in it filling you with
doubt and pushing you to the exit:
“Give up.” “Next time.” It’s the part of
your consciousness that picks the
lounge over the gym, but it doesn’t
have to be the loudest voice.
At Optimum Nutrition – maker of
the world’s best-selling whey protein
powder – they’ve cancelled out the
voice calling for you to stay at home
and amplified the one screaming for
one more rep. They know finding
the zone is a process and that
there’s more to each workout than
recovery, reps and sets. That’s why
Optimum Nutrition has opened up
a conversation around preparation
and recovery. Getting in the zone isn’t
a chore, it’s a choice. Being prepared
mentally and physically helps you
make the right choice, and proper
recovery sets you up to continue
making the right choices. When
these all align you’ve risen to a whole
new level: the Gold Standard Zone.
From October to November,
Optimum Nutrition will be visiting
selected gyms through Victoria,
NSW and Queensland with their
Gold Standard Zone pop-up
activation, giving you the chance to
chat to Optimum Nutrition athletes
and receive a free ON kit, including
a shaker and products to help youreach the Gold Standard Zone.
A full list of dates and locations will
be available at goldstandardzone.
com.au along with motivation
tips from athletes and psychology
advice from Optimum Nutrition.
Renowned sport and exercise
psychologist Marcel Noronha has
also partnered with the brand to
provide insights based on his work
with athletes and elite teams such
as Swimming Australia, Queensland
Academy of Sport, Brisbane Broncos
and the Brisbane Roar. Noronha
is a big advocate for mental
preparation and says a strong
mindset is absolutely crucial when
trying to obtain physical results.
“Developing your mental game
is like building muscle – it requires
persistent purposeful practice,”
he says. “We are all unique and
all have different circumstances,
therefore there is no one answer for
to how to maximise performance.
“However, there is a formula, and
the key ingredient is self-awareness.
Understanding what you do well,
identifying where you can improve
and challenging yourself to find
solutions specific to your needs is
essential. Then you’ll come to realise
that the formula resides within
yourself. I’ve worked with Optimum
Nutrition to identify the mental
hurdles that affect athletes at alllevels and provide solutions
to overcome these hurdles.”
Optimum Nutrition athlete and
personal trainer Nick Cheadle knows
the struggles of preparation and
recovery in living the fitness life.
“I’m big on starting a workout before
I even get to the gym – you’ve got to
come energised and focused from
the start if you want to get something
out of it,” he says. “Sticking to my
routine of drinking Gold Standard
Pre-Workout on the way to the gym
ensures I’m energised. Once I get to
the gym, I pop my headphones in,
and that narrows my focus to the task.
“My workout exercises were
planned the day before, and I track
them in the HyperDBS app, so I know
exactly how many sets and reps I’m
doing. After my last rep, I take Gold
Standard 100% Whey to give my
muscles the essential amino acids
and protein they need to recover fast,
so I’m prepared for my next workout.”
For those training frequently,
it’s a continuous cycle – being
mentally and physically prepared
for your current session, while
also being prepared for your next
session through optimal recovery.
It’s about finding the mindset that
primes your mind and body to
reach the gold standard zone and
maintaining that momentum time
and time again.THE ZONE
Sometimes good isn’t good enough.
Are you ready to rise to a new level?NOVEMBER 2017 / MUSCLE & FITNESS 13MAXTEY PO EDGE
WIN AN ESCAPE!
Optimum Nutrition has partnered
with Active Escapes to give
purchasers of Optimum Nutrition’s
Gold Standard range the chance to
win one of three Active Escapes by
registering their purchase from
select retailers online. Go to
goldstandardzone.com.au
to find out more.