As the pilot of Physical Asia played out, I wondered about how much the varied backgrounds of each team’s participants weighed in increasing their chances of winning.
Participants from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Thailand, Turkey, and the Philippines came from contact sports, acrobatics, rowing, and — with the legendary Manny Pacquiao on board — boxing, to name a few.
I figured it was in preparation for the kind of quests they were to face, which I learned later on, were totally privy to them too.
However, after watching the ongoing series’ fourth episode this week, I realized that variety (though crucial) dwarfs in comparison to the show’s principal requirement: Grit. Untainted, unyielding grit.
Outsmarting the “Mind Games”
Participants must conquer quests to be the champions among victors and bag the prize money worth $700,000 (USD).
And while it’s apparent that these quests aim to stretch the participants’ physical limits, there are pivotal moments wherein they must absolutely remain stable in their mental and emotional strongholds to ensure their optimal performance.
Mental Challenge 1: For Country and Honor
From the very start of the competition, the narrator repeating the words “for your country” resounds the theme ever so loudly. Fighting for one’s self is one thing, but if millions of others suddenly depend on you, that changes things.
Add the fact that these participants are Olympians, champions, and legends in their respective fields, that in itself may already bring pressure to prove that they are worth being in that arena. Not that they need to, of course. But that’s one mental challenge for sure.
On a positive note: Know that your respective countrymen are proud that you are doing your very best and are cheering for you all the way — no matter the duration of your stay in the competition. You all rock!
Mental Challenge 2: Braving the Consequences
Quest 1 measured the teams’ strategic thinking and physical endurance by having the eight teams compete for only four winning spots. Quest 2, however, proved more mentally challenging for a variety of reasons.
Now there are four losing teams — all of whom have to bear the feeling of being in a literal playing field where the four winning teams are watching them from a higher tier. They would also have to make terms with how their teams fared in Quest 1 as the scores are displayed.
On a positive note: Your fellow citizens, families, friends, and peers know that you got to that point in your profession and have the reputation that precedes you because you showed up for countless training sessions even when it hurt badly, because you did the work not everyone is brave enough to take. At the end of the day, it’s a competition. You’re still you.
Show What You’ve Got
Perhaps, as with any reality show, the participants may feel and think that they’re in a bubble, albeit in a sweat- and nosebleed-inducing one.
This may be far easier said than done as they are not in their usual habitats, but I hope that the participants remember that that bubble will eventually pop.
And when it does, I hope that after all the sweat, tears, and blood they shed, they come out of that arena showing the viewers how real athletes, fighters, and champions fight: with grit, character, and moral fiber.
Good luck to all!
Cheers,
Fork With No Name