This is sort of related to Chris’ article “the philoshophy of big”
I am training westside right now and today was ME legs day. I was doing deadlifts and last week I maxed at 285(a new PR). For the last 4 singles I went up by 10 pounds each lift. this week I upped each weight I did by 5 pounds so I was going to try to max at 290. By accident I slapped dimes on each side instead of nickels(for the last three singles) and worked up to 330!!! Holy shit when I realized this I almost shit myself. I thought I was lifting 290 and ended up doing 330. Shows you what limits your mind can impose on you, and kind of relates to how chris was talking about tricking yourself into thinking it was light.
Just kidding. I completely understand and agree with you.
Another “trick” is actually working out with stronger people. When you see people just toying with weight that you struggle with, your mindset about the weight changes from “That’s a lot of weight” to “This is bitch weight.” Also, feeling like a pansy is a huge motivational factor. Just some personal experience.
Shows how, in many cases, the mind can be the limiting factor in anything we undertake.
Just look at how everyone thought for a long time that the three-minute mile would never be broken, and once it finally was, runner after runner broke it.
There’s a lot to be learned from that and how it can be applied to whatever we want to accomplish…
There’s a kid in my area that competes in the special olympics in weight lifting. Due to an accident in his very young childhood, he can’t add. So they’ve color-coded the weights for him, so all he does is match the colors on each side of the bar, and gives it a heave. Has some VERY impressive lifts for his age and size (I think he’s 22 now). I don’t think he really has any idea how much he’s lifting, he just lifts it. DLs something in the high 6’s.
Some of those Special Olympics weightlifters don’t understand the word quit. I’ve watched some of them on tv and they lift, push and pull more weight than you could ever imagine them doing and the focus on their faces says it all. We all complain and worry about every detail and these kids just lift.
Daz tha shit! So you broke your own PR from the previous week by 45 lbs? Don’t you love shit like that. I have been breaking my own bench press PR every week while doing CTs power circuit. Nearly everytime I get under the weight I take a big breath, line my elbows up, unrack the weight and think to myself, “This is easy, this is easy.” It’s been getting lighter and lighter, yet there is more and more weight. I’m starting to do the same thing with my push press. Ah the power of positive thinking.
Well it seems like the general consensus of the voices in my head say that after all the comments on this thread I should try out for the special olympics. My disability you ask??..well…ummmm…I often forget how to walk and trip alot, also as demonstrated by this thread I can;t count. Groove
Two lifts that are about heart as much as strength: Deadlifts and Push-Presses. Just remember to be careful – no since hurting your back and being out of training for weeks.
I know on a Push-Press, if I’m not motivated, any weight seems heavy. But when I’m psyched up with major CNS stimulation, I’m repping with weights that would be a 1RM on other days.
One thing I keep in mind when lifting, On one of the Westside threads, Goldberg said something like: What would Louie do? Throw some damn weight on the bar!
When I am debating how much to go up in weight from set to set, and want to be conservative, I remember that quote. Then I throw some more damn weight on the bar and go for it. Be realistic, but bring the intensity.
I strongly agree with Goldberg. The deadlift is more like that then any other lift. It requires more motor unit activation then any other lift, so thus is more succeptible to fluctuations in performance, both positive and negative. The difference between absolute (potential) and limit (current maximal) strength in most people is probably around 30-50%. Just being psyched up and really wanting it bad can really cut that % of untapped strength down, especially in a movement that uses so many muscle like the deadlift. Theres been a lot of deadlift threads here recently. I think people get too hung up on technique, asssistance exercises etc. If you really want to deadlift a lot of weight either go to a powerlifting meet and watch people way lighter then you lifting a lot more weight than you for motivation, or better yet, start training with some really strong powerlifters who like to deadlift a lot of weight and you will see your poundages skyrocket just by being around it. That’s my deadlifting advice anyway.
Groove