Mental limitations!

[Steel_UK]

This is an unusual line of thought, but it does make some sense to me at least.

Basically, I've now benched more than I ever thought I was able to at this very time. I made a new personal best of 110kg the other day, and tried for 115kg under the guidance of the gym owner/team "coach". I almost got it but it ground to a halt halfway through the press.

Roll on a little bit later, he decides to "guide" me in the lift by placing his index finger and thumb on my wrists. This means that he can't really make any assistance in the lift, and the two spotters on either side of the bar do their usual job of er... spotting. I was to do 120kg, never done it before, I knew it was quite a big jump and that if I didn't control it, it could hurt a bit!

Down it came, controlled and I blasted the 120kg off the chest. A little while later he had me attempt 140kg, which involved him squeezing my wrists with his finger and thumb to make sure I kept stability during the bottom of the lift, and then it flew up!

Now this raises the question. There was no chance of me even doing 120kg before he did this little "trick" with my wrists, and there's no way he can assist much at all with just his index finger and thumb. So this has me wonder, is it likely that it is my lack of confidence in handling 120-140kg that prevents me from being able to do it? It makes little sense to me how one can go from 110 (almost 115) on their own, to do 120 no problem and fought 140 up with "guidance" from a pair of fingers and thumbs! It must be all in the mind surely? A false sense of security that all can be given with little that could go wrong?

[torofuerte]

There is a strong mental aspect in every sport. You might want to read up some stuff on Sports Psychology - it's interesting stuff.

OTH, even though the "guiding" was anything but there, it acted as a cue that helped you direct the bar up (no much different from cues on squatting to fire up the glutes like a touch of the thumb on the side of glute or a pat on the lower back to remind to keep it neutral, or the verbal cue to drop quickly instead of fighting to get below parallel.)

When getting near your maximals, little cues or "guides" like that make it or break it. Use them to eventually get you there unassisted, but also get some reading on sports psychology and on visualizing your sports goals before attempting them.

Do you intensely visualize how you will perform a max lift with a specific poundage before every workout session? This is very important to do. In fact, I would say you need to do such a thing regularly during your resting days.

[JustAbout]

For me the mental aspect is more than half the battle. On days that I'm in a good or great mental state I can set new personal bests. When I'm in the crapper mentally it's a grind to get through the workout.

JustAbout

[Steel_UK]

So I was right that there's an additional dimension to this sport. I've only really thought through the motions and movements for a lift, never actually for lifting the weight that I was going to lift.

I've always been laid back too, and apparently I'm often too laid back so I'm not releasing my full potential in the lifts.

I had a brief read up on sports psychology, it isn't half complicated. I guess this is why some powerlifters do some sort of funny dance before doing a heavy deadlift?

[A1food4U]

Look at the Samoans, Fiji and to a certain extent the Nordic strong men, they all have some sort of war dance. Some of the guys have their buddies slap them around abit first. Thay all seem to be working their heads up and into the lift....

[ImageDynamix]

The psychology part is very interesting. Just having someone tell you that you look bigger can make you bigger. It's a huge mind game.

Telling someone they look bigger makes them think more about it, which will (perhaps) make them want to live up to what you have told them. This said, they work harder and can become bigger.

There was a study done with maids at hotels that involved something of the sort. One group of maids were told that their work (cleaning the bedrooms, bathrooms, etc...) had a healthy impact on their health, while the other group was told nothing. The group that was told about their healthy work actually became more healthy and started to lose weight, unlike the other group.

It's an interesting read about the placebo effect ---> Placebo Effect and Maids.

[Insex]

It's mental. I have a friend who is able to press more weight on the Bench Press only while I'm spotting him. What he asks me to do is simply grab the bar and keep my hands on it throughout the entire set. I don't help him lift the weight, my hands are only on the bar while my friend performs his set. For him, it gives him more confidence seeing me there with my hands on the bar.

I don't think your coach is pinching a magical spot in your wrists that all of sudden enables you to press more weight. You probably just felt more sure of yourself while he was there. It's all in your head.

[katz7479]

i like if i can see my spotter out of the top of my eye but he must not touch my weight till i tell him its weird cuz i can press out more when i see whoever it is. i once pushed out 275lbs 6 times with just my girl spotting me but then again i may have been trying to impress her hahaha

[katz7479]

Originally Posted by A1food4U

Look at the Samoans, Fiji and to a certain extent the Nordic strong men, they all have some sort of war dance. Some of the guys have their buddies slap them around abit first. Thay all seem to be working their heads up and into the lift....

i look like a gorilla beating my chest before a heavy lift haha

[Maveaider]

It's frightening how much lifting can be "mind over matter" - one time I had a friend round for dinner and he was watching me bench beforehand, and I benhced more that night than ever before. Had my mate not been there, I would not have been able to bench the same weight.

Another time, more recently, I attempted a 1RM bench and failed. A few minutes later, after psyching myself up and doing some quick and light dumbbell flies, I nailed the bench no problem. It's all about confidence and believing in yourself.

[ImageDynamix]

Again, psychology is amazing.

If you're good at something (such as benching, playing video games, or whatever) and someone else is around, you'll probably do a lot better than if you were alone.

That said, if you're BAD at something and someone else is around, you'll most likely do worse...

It's just one of those things.

EDIT - Also, keep in mind that PRACTICING in your head is/can be just as good as actually practicing physically. Your mind is POWERFUL.

[wildstang]

its always been part of lifting or life for that matter. a positive attitude will take u were you wanna go in life or the gym.
ive always preached this aspect. months ago in several threads.

[msid17]

i totally agree with you on this one.. your rite..