Self-Identity and Strength Sports

 Strength Sports and Identity: A Focus on Positive Self-Image


We all started strength sports for a reason. For some, it was seeking a community. For others, it was to fulfill that desire for competition. Or, maybe you just really love lifting weights. What happens when a competitor dives too far into the “strength sports athlete” identity? This article isn’t written out of bitterness, or pettiness, just to act as a simple reminder to remember the cool things about yourself that have absolutely nothing to do with strength sports. 


I found myself in this situation five years ago. Every workout that I felt like I underperformed, I would be angry. Every second of every day, I was thinking about my programming, my next show, and what other competitors were doing. During this period, I signed up for as many opportunities as I could, regardless of the cost. Why? 

It’s easy to look back on it now and be embarrassed of the reason. Hindsight is vibrant, and it’s important to remember that when we reflect on our being. Reality in the moment is often only lit by the dimmest candle, and when we reflect on any period of our lives, we will always have a better explanation than in the moment. Now that I've had time to process, I’ve found the explanation. 

I was an individual suffering from feelings of low self-worth. I didn’t feel like I was doing well at work, my friendships, or my mental health. All of these factors led to creating a one-identity monster; one that fed off the dopamine of success in strength sports, and when that dopamine was absent, the inevitable descent into the feeling of failure. Have a bad workout? I was a good for nothing loser who may as well give up. 

What’s the point in telling you this? It’s to serve as a reminder to reflect on yourself as a human with multiple identities. Now that I’m a bit older, I’m able to reflect on the nonsense of my youth, and provide warnings to folks who are maybe going through what I went through. 

If you were to strip away strength sports from your identity, what’s left? Is there only a skeleton, or is this still flesh and soul? If the answer is the former, you’ve probably fallen too far into the one-identity trap. My answer nowadays:

  • A good husband. 

  • A great friend. 

  • A pretty solid son. 

  • A scholarly fellow. 

  • The best teacher ever. 

This isn’t to say that I don’t love strength sports. I plan to do them until I can’t anymore, hopefully at 80 years old on my deathbed with three replaced distal bicep tendons (kidding). This is just to say; be thankful for the other cool parts of you. There are things to admire outside of being really strong that we all have within us, and maybe we sometimes need a reminder of those things so we don’t become too focused on this one small facet of our lives. 

I’ve met a lot of people in strength sports. I used to admire those that were physically strong; now my perception has changed quite a bit. I admire my friends who are honest, have integrity, and are supportive of others. I admire my friends who have kids and are amazing dads to them. I admire the athletes who do great things for society. 

There’s this trend of positive thinking being “beta”. Here’s the deal; if you use the words alpha or beta to describe other humans, you probably aren’t as alpha as you think (side rant for a different article). 

My point; be sure you can be proud of who you are OUTSIDE of strength sports. Don’t forget the other great parts of you that should be presented to society. Our physical strength won’t be what people remember us for. It will always be the kind of son/daughter/friend/spouse we were. 

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