Men’s Open pro Hunter Labrada is eager to step back on a competitive stage in 2023. In a recent Instagram video, Labrada updated fans on his mental outlook roughly 15 weeks out from his next competition, the 2023 Tampa Pro.
Hunter, son of IFBB Pro bodybuilding legend Lee Labrada, is one of the sport’s most exciting stars. His muscularity, tight waist, and full chest made him an instant standout on stage. Given his father’s long-standing success as an Olympian, many fans are hopeful that Hunter could one day win the sport’s most prestigious title.
Last year, Labrada was considered a heavy favorite heading into the 2022 Mr. Olympia show. However, at the event, he faced a historic lineup of talent with several new faces making their mark on the category, such as Derek Lunsford, Andrew Jacked and Michal Krizo. Ultimately, Labrada took seventh place while Hadi Choopan went on to win gold.
The 31-year-old admitted mistakes were made during the prep and peak for his last Olympia show. In February, it was revealed that Hunter Labrada threw his name in the hat for the upcoming 2023 Tampa Pro and Texas Pro. A little over three months before he takes to the stage, Labrada updated fans on how he’s approaching contest prep this year.
Hunter Labrada ‘Confident’ Ahead of 2023 Tampa Pro: “I’m Perfectly Capable of Winning Them”
Looking at his upcoming season, Labrada is confident he’s one of the best in the world and believes he has the tools to win his next two contests.
“First and foremost this year is about making myself proud. I lost sight of why I was doing this a lot last year. It was especially hard with how much I was traveling, I got a very isolated feeling. I’ll be the first one to tell you: I’m training to win these next two shows, Tampa and Texas I am training to win them. I feel like I’m perfectly capable of winning them. Outside of the people that are already qualified for the. Olympia, I think I am one of the best in the world left on the table. I’ll put that to the test.”
I’m confident I can get that done. Outside of success on a bodybuilding stage and as I do this more and more, more, I realize it’s less and less and less important. It’s at the end of the day what I do for a living but the happiness and impact I’m able to make with it is far more important and paramount to me. One of my biggest goals this year outside of the competitive placings, which I’m not going to sit here and lie, I’m very competitive and I’ll be devastated if I don’t win. And I’m going to do everything in my power to win those shows,” said Hunter Labrada.
Given Labrada’s busy schedule year-to-year, the Open bodybuilder said his primary goal is to stay ‘mentally present’ moving forward.
“This year one of the biggest goals and one of the biggest things to me personally is to be mentally present, feel everything, experience everything, yes I’ll be tired but that doesn’t give me an excuse to not be a good husband, a good father, to not be a good friend, so to really place a lot emphasis on everything outside of the actual nuts and bolts of bodybuilding this year because I feel like if I do that, the nuts and bolts of bodybuilding will take care of itself too.”
“The biggest emphasis for me this year is to be present and have fun doing what I’m doing. From a very young age, I never really stopped and smelled the roses. Anytime, football, coming up as an amateur, winning nationals, it was always what’s next, what’s next what’s next? I really want to make sure I’m able to take some time and enjoy this year, I think it’ll be a good one. Regardless of the contest placings, the places I’ll get to go, the people that I’ll get to see, the things I’ll get to do, they are once-in-a-lifetime things that not everybody gets to do.”
Aside from contest appearances, Labrada has taken part in a few key guest posing obligations. First, he traveled to Washington for the Emerald Cup and then joined a slew of other top Men’s Open pros at Jim Manion’s 2023 Pittsburgh Pro. He shared the stage with Derek Lunsford, Samson Dauda, Nick Walker, Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay, and Shaun Clarida.
Hunter Labrada is confident that he can win the 2023 Tampa Pro and Texas Pro. He is also focused on staying mentally present and having fun during his bodybuilding journey.
Published: 18 May, 2023 | 9:15 AM EDT
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