ExRx.net

So I've been at odds about the following for the last day or so, and it's eating me up inside. Hence the post.

People talk about the limits people put on themselves all the time and I just can't figure if my solution is appropriate because it is beyond obvious.

So, in advance thank you for reading what might end up being drivel.

Yesterday I was pulling from the floor, and this guy gave me some tips, my ass was too high on the last few reps etc. He didn't look too big, and wasn't displaying any great feats of strength, so I chatted with him about squats and the like, and he seemed to know what he was talking about. So I listened on...

What really got me was after my next set he said, "you know, you can pull a lot more weight, your problem is here," pointing at his temple. I was pretty taken back, and like an idiot didn't ask him to elaborate. All I could think about was Pete's post about "you can lock out anything you can get off the floor," and other conversations I read & had about people limiting themselves.

So in short, I guess I'm one of those limiters, but wasn't aware of it. In pure beginner gains I have gone up 200lbs pulling in the last few months, never DL'ed in college. I thought I was progressing along nice, but the thought I'm cheating myself infuriates me.

Is the answer really as simple as just loading the bar and pulling? Because what I thought was heavy, and where I thought I was, just isn't right?

How do you turn off something in your head you didn't know was on in the first place?

There's probably no way to know. So if you load up the bar and pull, and it comes up, he was right. If it doesn't was it because your limitation was in your head, or because it was just too heavy. So you could beat yourself up for not having a more positive attitude, or you could go on wondering if some little adjustment in your think would be the key to heavy lifting.

I hate it when people who haven't earned the right to get into your head, try to do it uninvited. How does he know? How could he? By looking at you he knows how much you can really lift? I think it's crap, and you should ignore him. Just keep working your program, keep adding the weight. If you are capable of lifting heavier, you will. I'd say, listen to his lifting advice, and if it makes sense follow it. Ignore the psychoanalysis.

You know I've got the same problem. I've just registered myself in a gymnastics club (about a month ago) and I'm making some progress. but the thing is I know I can do some excersises, but I can't do them. An example: when my coach stands right beside me he doesn't even have to do anything, I can do some excersises but when he's like a few feet away from me, I can't do them. I'm getting really frustrated by this, I feel like I'm a pussy. I think I just don't dare to do them because I'm afraid to get hurt.
Is there anything I can do about this?

Eric, I think he was just trying to motivate you. Often times, if you think you can do something, you can. Part of lifting progressively heavier is getting the mind and body to work as a unit. Just keep trying to beat what you did before. It really doesn't matter what it is you have to overcome, just do it.

Wouter, I pulled a muscle deadlifting some time ago. After several months I was close to where I was before. However, it seemed like forever to actually get past that point though. Once I did, it was like it didn't matter anymore and it was history. Dr. Squat likes to tell the story of when his assistants made a mistake loading his bar and put 90#s too much on the bar. He lifted it anyway setting a new PR. He never looked back and went on to make history.

Stu

Well, I can't really comment on your lifting, but I can comment on the WHOLE MENTAL Game.

For Me, Mental Preparedness is at least 60% of anything I do. Since I am still a Novice Lifter, I will give this example from younger days playing sports.

"I" Play Basketball Better when I'm Pissed off and Angry. How Does this relate, actually it's quite simple. When I play ball, I usually play for one of these Reasons...

1: To Have Fun, General Exercise, Don't Really Care who wins.
2: To Win

When I'm playing to have fun, I generally don't play that great, but we all have a good time.

However, If Playing to win, I will likely get Mad at some point, which usually allows my mind to focus better on what is directly in front of me (The Game) and Play Better.

I am the Same Person, with the Same Skills, but under certain conditions I will Play Better than others. This is 100% a Mental State of Mind.

Here is another example of how we can kill ourselves mentally....

When My wife and I were dating we enjoyed shooting pool with our Friends. On Occasion, (OK Most of the Time) We enjoyed placing a friendly wager on the Game.

Normally, anyone could beat my wife, but I had one friend that could "NEVER" beat her when we placed a bet on the game. He would lose every time, and it did not matter if the bet was $1 or $100. For some strange reason, he just could not win. Again 100% mental.

I am still trying to find a way to channel Anger and Bad moods into lifting more weight, much like I do in Basketball, but so far it has not worked.

Cliff

Thanks guys...

It is nice to hear someone say some of the thoughts I've been thinking.

I would post more but have a crap-ton of homework to do...

I just noticed this topic. Interesting so I thought I would post.

First, though, I don't agree that you can lock out anything you get off the floor. Although I didn't see Petes post on that so maybe it was taken out of context i.e. someone who's weak off the floor, this applies to them, 100%.

On the mental side fo things, I have some input. I'm sure you've heard it before - training 'atmosphere'. I feel that if you are a serious lifter, but train in a commercial type gym, then it's very easy to let your surrounding limit your goals. In my gym, apart fromthe odd freak, the biggest guys are generally about 230-240lbs. However, when you see them DL or squat, you barely see 400lbs getting pulled. Generally, its around 330 for reps. And everyone would stand around in awe, watching. I've trained in lots of other commercial gyms, and it's much the same (over here, anyway).

So, when I started Deadlifting, I had it, subconsciously in my head that 330lbs was A LOT of weight to pull. I remember reading Cressey saying that he could take anyone untrained and under 50 and have them pull 400 in under 2 years. I thought, WTF? So i went about my merry way. I got to 300lbs and jumped for joy. Going from the 300-320 was pretty slow for me and i struggle on to a 330 PR, grinded out. Then I got talking to some local PLifters. They asked me if I wanted to go and train at the club, so I went. I literally pulled 320 two days before, so i SHOULDN'T have beenDLing again. But it was DL day in the club. As soon as I walked in (i was late), there was guys ripping up and slamming down 500+, with the ease that i was lifting 300, or less. I was completely gobsmacked. I immediatly thought, "the guys in my gym are weak as sh*t!".

I pulled again, still aching from 2 days before. They all work in with each other, so when you do your lift, you have all these guys staring at you, and genuinely hoping you'll have a good set. Oh, they were also pulling from 2-3 inch blocks - standing on them, to increase ROM. I went from 330 (previous PR from floor), and pulled 350, TWO REPS, from the blocks. When you consider I was still recovering from my normal DL day, then, I can only put that gain down to the atmosphere. In otherwords, completely psychological.

I can't train in that club all the time, due to when my work finishes, so I train mostly in the commercial gym. But the effect is still there. My mind has a completely different standard to those around me (in the commercial gym). And i've been improving steadily ever since, and I pop in and out of the club when I can. This is very long winded, but it's one of the best things that happened to me. I'm not saying that you should go find a PL club. A lifting partner can be just as valuable, if you have a good one. What i'm also saying is, "what do you consider heavy?". Your gym/surroundings may have you believe that a poor DL is a good one. Now, 'Heavy' is defined differently depending on your goals, so i'm not having a personal dig any BB's or anything.

I also found that going to seesome PL competition has the same effect. When you see women twice your age, lifting more weight than you, it has a knock on effect when you get back to the gym - trust me! Seeing is believing....

KPj

And we all know how painful that can be.

Interesting that I would see this post. I am sure for a fact that I am limiting myself. For example my "max" deadlift was 315 about a year ago, in that time I had not been deadlifting much at all. I had lost 50lbs and didnt focus on increasing my strength. I had tested my deadlift a few times in that time and thought i lost a lot of strength. I still find it exactly the same difficultly to lift the 315.
Also, the other day I ran for 30 minutes on a treadmill, when my previous max was 8 minutes at the same speed. I was just very motivated and didnt want to stop.

nygmen,

I like to know if this conversation had an impact on you, or if you dismissed it? How has your attitude evolved, and was it related to this

no joke. no troll.

Thanks
Long time listener, first time caller, I'll take your answer off the aire.

I would say take his advice as a grain of salt as stu or was it jundle doc said who is he to know your mind after talking to you for five minutes? Everyone is an expert until the expert comes along. Take what you know and go with it.

Did you feel your ass was too high on the last few reps? Have you ever recorded yourself to see if that was the case? I believe that the mind is one of the strongest muscles that is usually over looked and underworked.

I also love the idea kpj has with the PL Gym i am still working out at planet fatness and recently set a 1rm with 405 DL makes me think I am definitely in the wrong gym. Awesome stuff guys and NYGMEN how have things gone?

A mental plateau....never thought of it...

_________________
"Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door"

Kyle Chandler

At the time? I don't really remember. Now? Yeah, I tell people the same $h1t he told me all the time.



I think I did at the time, and for awhile, because I thought I knew everything I needed to know because I was reading article after article. Now, I get it. I get where he is coming from. He was looking out for me, and like Stu said above, was trying to motivate me, trying to help me out.

I see him now and again. I'm bigger than he is now, and stronger, but I don't think he was lifting to get bigger or stronger.





Oh jeaz, this is a long answer, lol. I'm more receptive to input now, but there aren't many people around my gym that are in a place to give me input. Kind of sucks to be honest. When I made this thread I was weak and skinny fat, all I wanted was to be big enough to fit in, and strong. Now I have the largest pull and squat in the building by a long shot, and it sucks. I'm obviously just in a small pond here, but...

I care infinitely less what other people are doing now. Particularly people who aren't achieving what I want to.

And I've come to the conclusion I don't know a god damn thing LOL.

I could really go on and on, if you want to know anything else, just ask




This is one of the cinder blocks that make up my foundation, but I wouldn't say it was some huge moment in my life after all this time.

But then again I made a thread about it, I guess it was pretty big deal...

Well I can tell you brother we think we know everything until we realise we know nothing. The picture always gets bigger and things we thought we knew, the things we knew we knew we found out were wrong and that opens up our eyes. I know most people at my height and weight can't touch me and everyone things im big but I'm no where compared to where I'm going to be and its coming soon.

Congrats on doing what you want. Keep setting and getting them goals. Upward and onward.

John

_________________
"Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door"

Kyle Chandler