Lifting for me has been, as I imagine it’s been for many of you, a mentally therapeutic process even more than a physical one. The thread about music that moves you got me thinking about this.
While training I’ve rage screamed and had mental breakdowns where I’ve cried on the floor. Both in pure joy where everything feels great, and in angst and disillusion. During my highest highs and my lowest lows, I want to push my body. The day my father died, I deadlifted. When my daughter was born, I squatted. Stress and anxiety at work? I’m going to go run until my lungs are on fire.
Do you work your emotions out while training? Has lifting become a part of you to where it’s your go to emotional outlet?
I’ve never experienced anything like this. I usually find a zone when lifting. It’s kind of a zen like experience.
Sometimes when going for heavy singles or triples I’ll put heavy metal on the radio and I do kind of fade in to the song as a distraction from the lift.
I’m not a very “hyped” guy though. I never understood screaming and jumping around a locker room or whatever either. I do better just zoning in.
All these resonate. I hate working out with anything but earphones, because it’s the equivalent of being on the beach.
I’ve had a chaotic life, and lifting has been both an anchor and an outlet.
I’ve tried to cry - like Hollywood actor try when you can feel your tear ducts. Nope. But do a few extra sets you know are a bad idea then throw up? Cathartic.
Henry Rollins said the iron dosent care if you’re a god or a bastard - that void is a very comforting place.
This is me. I am very zen when I train. I often listen to jazz or chill music (even podcasts), and rarely blast loud rock or hype myself up.
I personally think this is beneficial. In Crossfit competitions or even WODs, others get very antsy as the countdown begins and for some reason I just feel a sense of calmness come over me. This may be from my background as a nerdy academic, or from my days as a runner where getting into a calm zone is definitely preferred over being overly amped.
Understandable. I get frustrated if peaking goes haywire.
Overall I view lifting and gains as a line chart, sort of like the stock market. Short term ups and downs with long term gain. May be a helpful perspective. Check year over year, or beginning of a new routine vs end.
Not lifting per se… but everyone once in awhile, I’ll throw my weighted vest on, grab some dumbbells, pop an edible and go for a long walk. I’ll walk away from my house until I can’t walk anymore. Then I’ll turn around and walk back. It forces me to confront the chaos, trauma and utter helplessness I’ve had in life for last four years.
I guess it also helps to point out I’ve almost exclusively trained alone for the past 10 years (garage or basement gym). Can’t really be a nut job in a commercial gym. Lol.
I don’t know. You might be able to go viral and monetize it. Maybe license a custom shirt of your cry face through @marine77 ’s company. Overnight insta millionaire.
Definitely zen out in my own little world. Then again, I’m pretty sure I do squeeze out the odd tear when doing a set of 20 breathing squats as a finisher and I definitely feel like weeping in relief when I’m finished.
If I’m going for a PR, I’ll try to put myself into almost frantic state trying to employ my sympathetic nervous system for the lift. Sometimes I’ll get emotional and I’m teared up once or twice but never full on cried. It’s fun and my powerlifting buddies get it.
Yes, but it was completely unrelated to the training. I was not having a good day lol.
I tend to not be very emotional when I train—I put on loud music and sometimes shout a bit when I’m hitting maxes, but that’s about it. I’ve never really been able to intentionally get myself angry for stuff like lifting or wrestling—trying to just feels absurd for me.
After my daughter enlisted in USAF, I was at gym listening to Brett Young. She turned me onto his music. So got misty eyed thinking about my baby being away in bootcamp, I know it’s only the AF. Hit a deadlift pr at that time, 365. Not bad for an old guy, was 55. Now 59.
It’s strange. I read this topic this morning and thought “Ehh… never”. On my walk to the gym this morning though I bumped into someone that told me a friend had died. First half of my session I was a bit psyched out and holding the tears back. Gym is my escape. The crying happens outside.
I’ve never cried lifting, but I did when I was intensely training MMA (3-4 hours a day, 5 days a week). Like full on panic attack, intense crying.
It was a large mix of things but eventually led me to realize I had been dealing with undiagnosed depression for quite a while.
and I definitely feel like weeping in relief when I’m finished.
