Since the bar never lies, sometimes I appreciate the honesty. But sometimes it really pisses me off because it has no filter. Total honesty whether you want it or not. (Kudos to Basement Brandon for the insight.)
74 year-old here. I deadlift about 50 reps a week at over twice my body weight. I have never been emotional like that. I have never had a feeling towards the bar or the weights. I think only of my body and my mind. That is, it's not me versus the bar and plates; it's my mind encouraging and observing my body. I have a pretty good idea what I can lift and I'm right about 997 times in 1000 lifts. The bar/plates give me the opportunity to bring my plan/ambition into reality.
@@danlauffer8540 I weigh 78 kg. I over-simplified my program in my post above. Back in February I had hit a bit of a wall so for three months I avoided my maximum weights and built up a foundation with 11 sets of three at 173 kg every four days. In May I split my program, maintaining some low-stress volume (9 sets of 3 at 163 kg every eight days) but focussing on higher weights and fewer reps four days after each volume set. Last Monday was one of those higher weight days and (after warm-ups) I lifted 1 @ 173 kg, 1 @ 183 kg, 1 @ 193 kg, 1 @ 203 kg, 1 @ 213 kg, two singles at 203 - then drop sets at 163, 153 and 143. Next Friday, it will be back to the 9 sets of 3 at 163 kg for maintenance. And next Tuesday I plan to lift two singles at 213 kg. My apologies for the detail - you did ask🙂
I take whatever mood I have into it. in one mood i am pumping Pantera, and focused. In another I am playing classical, and focused. It is the focused part that is important.
I really enjoyed your take on this. The wrong mood definitely affects performance. I think I'm more of a zen lifter, sad/depressed is no good and the lifts suffer. Even music is getting distracting as I get older. I have had a few occasions where a heavy set was successful and a "Take that bar!" came out of my mouth.
always calm myself, inhaling and exhaling deeply twice while mentally feeling the weight and preparing for the burst of energy needed to start the set.....
I am never angry lifting. I'm best described as resigned to my fate, fatalistic, or devil may care. It works. I'm only ever happy with a PR or a perfect (rare) execution of a lift. I go to the basement with dread but always congratulate myself afterward for having done what must be done... Of course the stern gaze of my spouse helps me get to the basement, too.
my test taking is the clock method. I look at the clock and if second hand is in the first 15 seconds then answer A, second 15 then B and so forth. as for weights I approach it stoically: I am here, the weight is here, we are here together.
I’m a professional practicer… I trained as, and eventually enjoyed a brief career as a classical musician. That taught me to enjoy doing similar things, everyday, while looking for ways to improve. I learned to love the process of doing something in the moment that added to what I was able to do the next day. I also was keenly aware that many others were doing the same thing. So even by myself, I never felt alone. I have carried that attitude into my teaching career and into my weight and (sorry!) running training.
On both squat and DL days my anxiety starts kicking in when I wake up and I have to get into the gym ASAP to alleviate it: I've allowed myself to feel ok if I have to go a bit lighter than the week before, 175 instead of 190 for a working set (this week i did box squats at 185)- or a 225 DL set of 5 (instead of 285) followed by a 365 rack lift set of 5 or even good mornings or RDLs instead of a DL that day. Just get into the gym, is my thinking. I'm 60.
You can calibrate the peaks on my chart with my online arguments. I'm good for a 20% enhancement when I'm post rage. I can summon that rage for a little while but it eventually dissipates after a few days. Getting into solid online arguments as a performance enhancement is probably not great for your overall mental health though so I just take them as windfalls rather than cultivate them.
I frequently get strange looks at the gym. Well, a 68 year old man vigorously slapping his own face before a heavy lift is a reason to stare I guess...
