Envision, Feel the Lifts, and Confident Self-Talk: The Competition/Training Mindset

Preparation is key to lifting heavy weights. This entails having a training program, eating/sleeping properly, and doing those things over and over again for years without fail. Gaining muscle and getting stronger takes a lot of time and patience. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Preparation can be completely undone with the wrong mindset. Negative self-talk, having a prevailing fear of failure, and losing focus within your thoughts can undo all of that hard work when it’s time to compete or lift a new PR. Having a confident yet realistic mindset and attitude can mean added weight on the barbell.

Envision:

  • Focus on the goal(s)
  • Make and follow the plan. Don’t deviate from it.
    • This means, before meet day in particular, you plan for every possibility
    • Have contigency plans if plan A, B, and C fail.
    • Stay Calm, Cool, and Collected when plans A, B, or C fail
    • Think.
  • Trust the plan and execute it

Feel the Lifts:

  • Imagine the feeling of the heavy attempt at a RPE 7-8 bar speed
    • Feel the weight on your back, in your hands, on your arms/legs, and the rest of your body from your fingertips to your toes
    • Feel the movement through your whole body
    • Do reps of this imaginary lift over and over in your head feeling it through your body every time
  • You can do this the night before as you go to sleep all the way up to the attempt itself

Confident Self-Talk:

  • Postitive inner thoughts about the lift and your performance thus far are key to a good performance.
  • Quickly let go of the bad. Don’t hold on to the negative parts about your performance. Focus on what good is still possible.
  • Part of the planning process makes you look back at your training. You know what’s possible at the meet. Don’t hope and project. Be realistic. This can develop into confidence.
    • Self-confidence on meet day originates from training numbers and past experiences. Not from getting your back slapped and screaming.
    • There’s nothing wrong from getting hyped up but all the hype in the world isn’t going to help you lift something that’s too heavy.

Envision success through focus and trust in your plan. Feel the lifts by imagining every aspect of the lift, but as a successful attempt. Confident self-talk is had through past training/experiences, realism of your abilities, and a “glass half full” mentality. Put these 3 elements together and you’ll be successful on the platform!