AVOID DISTRACTIONS

July 1st, 2023 — I competed at AEP 2 Andalucía in the -83 kg category. According to the prognosis, it was the first time I had a real shot at the podium—a battle for sure, but I had a chance. That had never happened to me since I started competing in 2018.

Knowing I was physically ready, I quickly entered the zone despite the nerves. I’ve developed the skill to silence doubt and channel nerves in my favor. All I need is control over my breathing and music.

During warm-up, I felt good. It was hot—Málaga in July—and the venue was packed. My rivals looked solid, and we were all observing each other. We finished warm-ups and headed to the platform. I was second-to-last to lift, opening with 210 kg in the squat. All my rivals hit their openers clean. My turn. The bar feels light on my back (a key cue for me to feel confident). I hear nothing. I'm in the zone. Commands given—I descend, rise, get the rack command. I think it’s a good lift, but I get two reds. No depth.

From fully focused to distracted by the noise in seconds. I lost my focus and thought: “That’s it. Another comp where I won’t make podium.”But then I locked eyes with Borja (Borja Fajardo, my coach) who said: “We’re bumping the weight up. It looked good. That snapped me back into it. I got back in the game and gave it everything.

AVOID DISTRACTIONS

When you compete in powerlifting, it’s usually in a public sports hall—anything but quiet. You’ll hear people yelling, laughing, chatting about football or the weekend party. Some lifters will be hyped up like it’s a club, listening to music. The equipment will feel different from your gym, the floor will be slippery. It’s not your training environment. Distractions will be everywhere—and you’ll feel them more than ever.

‍No one’s to blame. They’re not talking about you or laughing at you. But your nerves will make you think they are. And if that pulls you out of the zone, that’s on you. You have to block out all distractions if you want to stay focused and perform.

The tools that help me stay in the zone: Music Noise-canceling headphones, Breathing: slow inhale through the nose, filling the abdomen, then exhaling slowly through the mouth. During warm-up: feeling sharp, focusing on technique, replicating what I do in training.

Everything counts.

KEEP NEGATIVE FEEDBACK IN ITS PLACE

Handling criticism and bad feelings is hard. It can break you—or help you. To truly commit to any sport, you have to accept that things won’t always go your way. You must learn from failure and know how to navigate those moments. That classic Michael Jordan quote sums it up well:

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

COACH FEEDBACK

In moments like these, your coach can be key. Their words can either lift you or break you.In my case, when Borja told me we were going up in weight for the second attempt, it pulled me back into the game. That attempt turned out to be a good lift.

Feedback can be a technical correction, or just a quick cue: “fast”, “strong”—anything to sharpen your focus.Even lack of feedback can hurt your performance.If Borja hadn’t said anything, I might’ve gone for the next lift—but without being mentally back in the zone. Words can be a switch that turns on action.

STAY IN THE PRESENT

After a mistake, staying stuck on it can be devastating—especially if you're thinking about the kilos you need to make up for. Don’t waste mental energy on that. Shift your focus to the next attempt. That’s what matters.

‍I hope this text gives you a reference point if you ever face a situation like the one I described. In that competition, I ended up finishing second—my first time on the podium and with the best total I’ve ever hit in competition. It feels great to enjoy the entire process and see how progress builds year after year.

Text inspired by the book The Psychology of Flow in Sport by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi.