Where's your head when you lift?

I'm with nerdking on focusing on technique, but with Bacon on not lifting because of PT.
 
I wouldn't say I'm angry, but very concentrated and full of adrenaline. My hands usually shake when I'm about to get under a max attempt. It also depends on the lift. The more technically demanding the lift, the less outwardly, "IM GOING TO RIP OUT YOUR THROAT" I am. Squat for example, getting super pissed just makes everything go to hell. Deadlift, the more pissed, the better I pull.
 
I will now be thinking of chicks in bikinis snowboarding.
 
Sorry my ignorance I don't speak English as first language, but what is PT, are you becoming police officers ?
 
Urban said:
I used to be an angry lifter. I used to try and psyche the holy crap out of myself. You wouldn't see me smile the entire time I was in the gym. PR's were met by scowls and "FUCK YEAH!" and it never felt quite right. Things have changed a bit recently. I started intentionally smiling, finding a "happy place," and it didn't even take a one handed golf veteran to show me the way. Neuro linguistic programming gave me the idea, in essence, by implying we display greater strength when happy than when sad. So I started thinking of the good times in my life when I was at the gym, those moments I really cherish, hugs from loved ones, nights out with close friends, times of seemingly effortless, flawless success despite the odds. and I found my middle ground. Not wise man on the mountain calm, but not bloodthirsty angry.

Sure, the happy place I go is a little darker than most, and the archetype is more trickster and savage than enlightened savior, but I find myself enjoying the workout more. It's a strange lycanthropic confidence: knowing I can make the lift, not trying to fight against it. Chalk up, Run my tongue from canine to canine across my incisors, smile, and grab the weight. And win or lose I feel good.

Where's your head when you lift?
Click to expand...

^This guy for president.

Seriously though, I go through pretty much the same thing. Generally, it depends on my situation in life. If shit's going bad all around and there's no end in site, I lift like a savage and, no joke, let visions of breaking peoples bones and tearing off the limbs of my enemies and those who've wronged me fill my head. If things are on the up and up and rocking, I lift out of inspiration and triumph, this is usually when I make actual gains and avoid injury.
 
I don't really get into my lifts that much. I mostly focus on form, and that is about it. Every now and then I'll get into a song that is playing in the background at the gym.. I just focus on being my best, I guess. Same goes for fighting or wrestling, I really just feel like I'm having fun and that is all that matters during whatever..
 
I am sitting quietly in the gym, doing my stretches when a long haired man in ragged clothes rides up on a horse. he is wearing blue and orange face paint and he says to me:

I am William Wallace. And I see a whole gym full of my brothers
here in defiance of gravity. You have come to lift as free men. And
free man you are! What will you do without strength? Will you lift?"
"No! We will run and do cardio - and we will live!"
"Yes "Lift and you may die. Run and you will live at least a while. And dying in your bed many years from now as an anemic skeleton.
Would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for
one chance, just one chance, to come back here and squat deep with five plates or pull six plates from the floor and tell our enemies that they may take our lives but they will never take our FREEDOM!!!!!


and then I lift
 
*wipes the tear away*

I can now be comforted with the knowledge that I've live... *sniff*... FREE!!!
 
If I'm going for a legit PR, I bob my head up and down smiling like a rapist and calling the bar a bitch.
 
I suppose I alternate between psyching myself out with hard music, and taking time to glance at the girls. Mostly angry though, especially right before the lift starts. I hadn't considered that being in a positive, happy mindset would affect my lifting much. I will meditate on truly happy and serene images to focus on while lifting. Damn, its been a good day! I've learned a lot, between you and the return of Keith.
 
Happy to see ya back, Keith. That was very inspirational.

Usually I psych myself up with some song on my mp3 player and try to make sure my form is good. Sometimes I get mad at the bar, picturin' somethin' that's pissed me off, but that's usually just goin' for a max... Although on heavy lifts, I've developed a habit of swearin' at the bar before the lift and flippin' it the bird after I'm done...
 
Depends on what im lifting if its heavy and a compound movement i like to be calm and focused so i get the lift done well with good form.

If it more isolate movement more pumped up so i can better ignore tha lactic acid from the higher reps.
 
Unless it's a limit strength test, I psyche myself up the way I would for jog: In other words I'm usually calm and save my nerves for when it really counts.
 
I usually amble about, maybe hit the heavybag a couple times, nothing much. If I'm going for a PR, I sometimes talk to the bar, letting it know the futility of trying to resist me. It will go up, whether it likes it or not. The Tao of the weight is to be lifted. Its as simple as that.
Now, when I'm actually lifting, I'm totally blank. After the lift. I'm either very calm and just look at the bar and nod, or occasionally roar and scream "GOT YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,237,064
Messages
55,464,620
Members
174,785
Latest member
JoyceOuthw

Share this page

Back
Top