What helps you psychologically lift hardcore? What makes you lift more?

[RyanE73]

**NOTE this is just a fun thread, but helpful and interesting to hear how people use their mindset to help their training.

What helps you psychologically lift hardcore? What makes you lift more? (Not why you want it, but how you achieve it).

So let's here it ladies and gentlemen, what makes you lift more in the gym?We're all bodybuilders, powerlifters, weightlifters, strongmen or other. We all have our training routines and preferred styles. But cutting the crap, we all have our times when we stop and think 'sh*t I need more weight on the bar.' Which overall becomes the ultimate goal second to what we do in the gym, for some putting that weight on the bar is above all else. Even 1KG or 2.5KG extra on your lift a fortnight is what it's about. So what helps you psychologically?

For me it's aggression. Not fighting no, not hitting some 1, no. It's focusing that pure energy of built up aggression on your lift. Thinking 'As long as I lift it, I can let the weights slam.' Pulling that angry face, letting it go red, grunting like hell, letting the veins show, tensing to 110% maximum effort to get that new Personal Best. Psychologically knowing that it's this or another week or fortnight of feeling like crap in the gym.

So ladies and gentlemen, what makes you get that lift when it comes to sheer determination within the mindset? (Not why you want it, but how you achieve it).

Be interesting to hear how people use their mindset in training, and thanks for all the replies in advance.

[blemshow]

Caffeine ;p... Although thinking about your ex being plowed by other guys can help with a rep or 3 ?

[scotty51312]

Caffeine ;p... Although thinking about your ex being plowed by other guys can help with a rep or 3 ?

Or thinking about plowing the hot chick in the squat rack

[djgreen]

yea chicks are my motivation sometimes

[marcus300]

The mental mind zone / are you trianing hard enough
http://forums.steroid.com/workout-tr...rd-enough.html


This is a repost from my diary thread which ive recently posted in another thread but ive had a few pm's telling me that this is one of the best inspiring post's they have ever read and it should be a sticky. I feel honoured some of you have taken the time to pm about my post and it really does me proud that you have taken on board what ive said because the mental side of training is huge, its what separates the monsters what walk this earth to the normal tight T-shirt shit bags full of water.

So by popular demand its a thread of its own and I will sticky it Thanks guys


Getting into the training zone mentally is hard work, I've been approached many times via pm on this subject and ive talked a lot about it within my diary thread but it is extremely hard and probably has hard to learn as learning how to train how I've described throughout this thread.

First let me try and get this across about the mental side of training.
When you see Dorian speak or train you can see he is mentally as well as physically strong. Many of the top Pro's seem to have this ability to have this mental focus to train to the level what is required to stimulate those fibers what seem to grow the biggest. I really do think its something what can be learnt and by perseverance we can get this mental focus and use it to its fullest. I've always had the motivation to train and get big and nothing in my life would stop me but I did have to learn how to release those feelings to train to a level were i wanted to get to. Over time I got the mental edge to train to true positive failure I don't know why but its something over the years what came naturally to me and I've mentioned many times within this thread how I try and get into this zone. For me we all have our little things we do to prepare ourselves before one of those working sets what is going to test us mentally as well as physically, I feel this is an individual thing what you have to find what works for you.

For me I think about certain things what have happened to me in my past what ignites my adrenalin and releases an inner aggression what I can only state as unstoppable. I talk to my inner self and take away everything around me, I am alone and only can hear my inner voice speaking and I drift to a time and relive an event in my mind like I am there again, the feelings what I felt at the time I feel again, the atmosphere I feel around me exactly like it was, I relive the exact circumstances at that moment and how I felt after and this completely isolates me from the outside world and I am stuck in the past reliving an event. At a moments notice I can come straight out into this rage and channel these emotions into the working set with the adrenalin flowing and my inner voice shouting at me. I also use another method which works for me also, I can also concentrate and watch myself doing the working and yet again take myself out of the situation I am in and go through in my head what is about to happen and I can trigger the inner aggression. I know I want it so much, I know I have to take myself to places were my body has not been before, I know its going to hurt but I kind of like that knowing I am about to inflict pain onto myself, this again ignites all these feelings inside of me that make me feel unstoppable and no one could out lift or train with the same intensity as me. That's what I feel when I am in this zone I know no one can come close I truly believe this and with that positive thinking I can take myself to failure and beyond. That's the two ways what do it for me.

I know guys who listen to music and crank it up and get into the zone, I know guys who walk up and down thinking about the set and getting into the zone, I know guys who want to be slapped which I've done in the past which instantly releases the fighting instinct which allows you to lift more than you would if you weren't in the zone. The problem is with some guys is learning how to get into this zone, its all about mind control and taking yourself away from where you are and talking to your inner self and produce these feelings. Some people can't do this and it needs to be learnt over weeks/months just like training to true positive failure like we do with HIT. Ever watch Branch pre working set how he gets himself into the zone, you can actually see his eyes change and his whole demeanour into this animal what looks unstoppable, same with Dorian and many others they all have the ability to get into this zone and recruit those tough fibers what only get activated when your at failure and beyond.


I do watch Youtube videos many times before I go training because this for me motivates myself and helps me prepare for what I am about to do in the gym. I know some of you feed of this thread before working out because I can tell with what you say before and after you train, its all about motivation, dedication and having the mental focus to keep positive and have that inner drive. We all have been under a BB with some serious weight on thinking to yourself I am going to fail this, you even say to your partner watch me I think I am going to struggle with this one and guess what happens???? you struggle and the set is a waste of time. We all have been there and ive been there many times in the past thinking this way trying to break into new areas without having the positive mind set or approach what it takes do accomplish this.

Learn how to train your mind and you will develop further not only mentally but physically aswell. I've read a lot of mind control, self help books and I am trained in areas to help direct and open peoples minds. I really enjoy NLP which helped me when I was going through times of trouble in my mind and I couldn't focus on anything. You have to learn this behaviour if it doesn't come naturally, but simple steps and trying what works for you will point you in the right direction were you to can get into the zone what will help you develop further in your training.


ARE YOU TRAINING HARD ENOUGH?

I've had a few PM's about training and cycles and one thing what shines through to me is that a lot are not training hard enough they dont fully understand how to train correctly. We spend so much time designing cycles and eliminating sides we think we have the perfect environment to grow into something what looks like it was carved out of stone but after 15 weeks of these super cycles most are pming me asking how can they stop the gains sliding away. We assume members are training hard enough and intense enough but in reality they aren't. I see alot of members just coasting through their training sessions and doing a set number of reps and sets and think the diet and AAS will transform them into a living god but all what happens is the gains slide away and they end up going back on gear to get some kind of size back.

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to find the right training protocol for your body to grow. You have to try many training routines and find which one you respond best to. We also need to get in the right mind set when we walk in that gym, you going there for one purpose and if you don't push your body beyond what its capable of doing your not going to grow bigger. You want to be leaving that gym feeling like you just done 10 rounds with Tyson in his hay day. You have to go through the pain, you have to push and pull the hardest you have ever done before, you have to push your body to places where its never been before and push past the pain every single time you go in the gym.

Overload your body to a state were its screaming for you to stop and no matter what, you couldn't do one more rep even if your life depended on it. If you don't train in this fashion your not training hard enough. Do you want to be bigger than anyone else, do you want to turn heads and do you want to have that monster size what no one else has got then if this is the case stop FUKING around in the gym and stop going through the motions and push past your limits and use methods what take you to hell and back.

I train that hard my eye balls shake and I find it hard to focus, I mentally prepare myself and think of things what make me angry and I push that last rep out no matter what. I kind of like the pain in certain bodyparts and I can push past it into a world of total hell, I feel like I am on fire and I swear I can feel the blood surging through my veins into the muscle what I am working. When I've done my last working set I know I cant perform another rep even if someone had a gun to my head and said you'll die if you don't do another rep, I know I've come to my limit and the sick thing about this is I actually enjoy it., I dream about it, I think about it and I cant wait to get back in the gym to do it again. Its like I'm self harming because the torture I go through is extremely painful but I know this is what I have to do to maintain what I've got and to build those extra few lbs of tissue. This is what separates the normal guys who look like they go to the gym to the fuking monsters what walk this earth

The mind set you walk into the gym with goes a long way. Releasing the inner aggression so its controlled when lifting the weight is the key to maximizing gains and stimulating growth. Control your mind and you will have the best chance at exploding out of your skin. Find what works for you to get into this zone, sit silently, listen to music, think of a time what really makes you angry or do what ever it takes to get yourself in the zone to lift to your max. This isn't easy to master but once you do the rewards are outstanding. The mind is a very powerful thing and everything starts within the brain so train your inner self to get into the zone. When you watch most of the pro's train you will see them in the zone, its a natural thing what comes easy to them. Think about this next time your about to do your working set

Now are you training hard enough? ask yourself can you train harder because if the answer is yes your restricting your gains and wasting money and time. Why spend all that money on gear, gh and food when your not attacking your body like you should be. Think about it and make your next workout like your going to war with yourself.

[scotty51312]

For me I think about certain things what have happened to me in my past what ignites my adrenalin and releases an inner aggression what I can only state as unstoppable. I talk to my inner self and take away everything around me, I am alone and only can hear my inner voice speaking and I drift to a time and relive an event in my mind like I am there again, the feelings what I felt at the time I feel again, the atmosphere I feel around me exactly like it was, I relive the exact circumstances at that moment and how I felt after and this completely isolates me from the outside world and I am stuck in the past reliving an event. At a moments notice I can come straight out into this rage and channel these emotions into the working set with the adrenalin flowing and my inner voice shouting at me.


You sir, are an iron poet!

[Buster Brown]

At 45 my life has been a minefield and I try to use the things that I struggle with the most as a positive experience and make me train harder. I simply go throught the Rolodex of life and find something to focus on........and then look out!

[uhit]

I channel my rage through intensive rap music.

Or I wake up, drink a black coffee and get into the gym asap for a caffeine boosted workout

[Khazima]

I couldn't explain it, during a big lift or a heavy set i have a background thought of my primary cues (for the squat/bench/deadlift) but other than that i'm completely blank, it's almost as if it's not me lifting the weight.

[kelkel]

Everything can motivate me. Then there's days that nothing does until I start moving some weight around.
I just don't want to be normal and that's probably the main thing. I get started working out and another gear takes over.
Couldn't imagine not doing this....not excelling at things.....

[tarmyg]

I couldn't explain it, during a big lift or a heavy set i have a background thought of my primary cues (for the squat/bench/deadlift) but other than that i'm completely blank, it's almost as if it's not me lifting the weight.

This is me also, exactly. I am not really thinking at all. Just lifting and sometimes screaming like a ****ing crazy person!

[cgeorgemeow]

I think about all the people at work and in business who have screwed me over and crushing their skull so hard brains come out, another good one is thinking if you don't get this rep they kill a family member i visualize it.

[Armykid93]

The word swagger has been ruined as of recent but walking in the gym knowing you are going to own it is big IMO. Have some swagger, know why your there and know what you have to do.

[davidtheman100]

I know this sounds like a company line, but being humble and being able to stay motivated to improve each and every day is what gives me alot of drive to lift hard.. To wake up each day a better bodybuilder than the day before and the gym is fun for me as well i have always been competitive after my senior season of college basketball is over now and it's summer i'm able to focus much more on lifting and eating better and it's WAY EASIER to track calories and hold onto muscle.... so that in itself is an exciting experience..... being able to get into the mindset where while you're working out you're working extra hard because you want to improve and become a better bodybuilder that day is what i think about and keeps me motivated...A little heavy metal doesn't hurt either

[NACH3]

Everything can motivate me. Then there's days that nothing does until I start moving some weight around.
I just don't want to be normal and that's probably the main thing. I get started working out and another gear takes over.
Couldn't imagine not doing this....not excelling at things.....

I think this is very well said, Kel! It's when those days your not AS motivated yet there the best w/o's I have(sometimes) - then just reading the Diary, and the way Marcus can explain things In detail(is simply animalistic)...

Once I get in there a whole other gear kicks in! Then the rage and adrenaline starts to build and I'm channeling that into each working set! That pain..... Hurts so good!

Music/child hood memories(the bad my past) all drive me to be WAY MORE THAN AVG(who wants to be avg) NOT ME!

[73rr]

Being at the gym, pushing my self to get that perfect high that you only can get by working your self yo the max! Thats y I work hard thats what makes me push my self to the next level

[davidtheman100]

Just think about how much you don't wanna be Caitlyn Jenner!

[CharlesThe4th]

Just think about how much you don't wanna be Caitlyn Jenner!

Dam Caitlyn Jenner is the reason I started lifting. I just want a chance to get in those sweet tranny pants. That's what drives me.

[GirlyGymRat]

Size 2

[saymass003]

What motivates me to lift hardcore is the fact that I am one of only a handful of females who actually lift heavy in my gym. When I get ready to do a big lift (squats, reads, bench) I notice people looking, and that pushes me past the pain, in my eyes they are looking because they don't think I can lift it. One of my goals is to prove that guys aren't the only ones that can move heavy weight, but I also love the feeling and the rush I get when I go hard! I love this BB life! I only wish I had gotten into it sooner. Now you guys have me hype to go to the gym, but it's my day off!

[CharlesThe4th]

What motivates me to lift hardcore is the fact that I am one of only a handful of females who actually lift heavy in my gym. When I get ready to do a big lift (squats, reads, bench) I notice people looking, and that pushes me past the pain, in my eyes they are looking because they don't think I can lift it. One of my goals is to prove that guys aren't the only ones that can move heavy weight, but I also love the feeling and the rush I get when I go hard! I love this BB life! I only wish I had gotten into it sooner. Now you guys have me hype to go to the gym, but it's my day off!

Get it homie!

[anabolicsqa]

Earlier I posted about why Winstrol of all the AAS choices, is preferred by athletes for enhancing strength and speed. Not sure if that's the type of answer you're looking for. Possibly it can be said that enough androgens can mediate behavior towards the aggressive side.

[NotNATTY]

yeah awesome

[RyanE73]

Sorry for the late reply guys! (Work sucks, and training and research tends to take up the rest of my time).

But thanks for the replies! Some motivational and useful responses indeed! Glad you's took the time to comment much appreciated!

Thanks Marcus300, Buster Brown, Kelkel, Armykid93, Saymass003 and everyone else for taking your time to reply.

This is why I love this sh*t, every1 out there is different in interesting and amazing ways!

[uhit]

Somethings wrong with me.

I can't do Marcus' HIT protocol unless I have rock music playing.

Otherwise nothing really makes me lift hardcore. Just inner drive

[davesah1]

Temporarily self inducing body dysmorphia via my reflection used to be a go to for me, its a bit harder now.

i.e.
I'm small/fat and look like shit so I must be training like a fatass mentality made me frustrated and push my limits.