scared of heavy weights during squats

[hardtrainer]

I've worked up to 110kg squats, though I'm definitely grinding these out, with a few breaths between reps in the last 2 or 3 sets.

My reason for posting is that I'm starting to dread the 3x week squat workouts, not because I feel that I may not complete 5x5 reps, but because
of the thought that I'll have 110kg resting on my shoulders, at a BW of 78kg and the risks inherent in this situation.

I know that there are people on this board squatting (much) higher multiples of their BW, so I can accept that I shouldn't need to be scared of the
weight. (I have a few concerns about deadlifts, but at least I am above the bar with these.)

This is really becoming an issue when I find I'm becoming increasingly anxious throughout the day, reaching a peak when I reach the gym and
am actually standing in front of the squat rack.

The gym staff are very rarely on the gym floor and with the occasional exception, know very little/nothing about free weight exercises.
With all due respect to the other users, most don't appear to be able to even comprehend why I would squat deeply with such a heavy weight
and are unlikely to be capable of spotting me without doing something inappropriate or proving incapable of helping if required.

Has anybody worked through this sort of psychological barrier ?

[Rugger]

Do you have something to catch the bar if you fail a rep?

[atypical1]

I have with all of my lifts. In fact I carry a healthy amount of fear when I'm doing rows, deads, and squats because one little slip is the difference between me being able to comfortably walk the rest of the week or having to lie on a hard surface with pain killers on constant flow (bench is different because I perform this in the powerrack). This fear is healthy for me though because it makes me keep my form up and keeps me from being distracted.

If you have this fear during your lifts then don't tink about it. Think about your form and how you're performing the exercise. Stare at one spot and think about all of the details. That's enough information to push the fear away.

If you have these fears before you exercise then perhaps just practice the walkout. Load up a heavy bar and just walk out. Don't squat. Don't do anything besides walking out with the weight. That will help get you used to having it on your back.

james

[hardtrainer]

@Rugger
Do you have something to catch the bar if you fail a rep?

Yep, I'm on a squat rack with an extended support area just below the level of my lowest squat position, so if I'm going to fail - and I've come close
a few times - I can just lower the bar a couple of inches onto the supports. I agree there that should be enough of a safeguard to provide confidence.

Just had a thought - maybe I should practice lowering the bar onto the supports ie a controlled failure, to reinforce the idea that I can manage a
failure situation.

@atypical1
Definitely hyper focused on form. Am facing a mirrored wall, which I understand isn't necessarily ideal, but seems helpful to me as at novice strength/experience.
I think the thumbs over the bar grip, low bar position feels more risky than my previous normal grip (I switched at around 90kg) even though this wasn't a healthy/good form grip.
Once I've completed the first few reps or the first full working set this reminds me that I can squat the weight.

Good idea about walking heavy weights out and back. I've heard that this technique has helped get people used to the feel of the weight.

Thanks.

[Shoke]

Yes, definitely try practicing dumping the weight or doing a "controlled failure"...it really boosts up the confidence as the weights get high.

@Rugger
Do you have something to catch the bar if you fail a rep?

Yep, I'm on a squat rack with an extended support area just below the level of my lowest squat position, so if I'm going to fail - and I've come close
a few times - I can just lower the bar a couple of inches onto the supports. I agree there that should be enough of a safeguard to provide confidence.

Just had a thought - maybe I should practice lowering the bar onto the supports ie a controlled failure, to reinforce the idea that I can manage a
failure situation.

@atypical1
Definitely hyper focused on form. Am facing a mirrored wall, which I understand isn't necessarily ideal, but seems helpful to me as at novice strength/experience.
I think the thumbs over the bar grip, low bar position feels more risky than my previous normal grip (I switched at around 90kg) even though this wasn't a healthy/good form grip.
Once I've completed the first few reps or the first full working set this reminds me that I can squat the weight.

Good idea about walking heavy weights out and back. I've heard that this technique has helped get people used to the feel of the weight.

Thanks.

[Mouse]

Scared?
Excellent. Why? Because every time you get under that bar your adrenaline will flow and you will concentrate more on your form.

When you do fail at your squat (I say when as everyone inevitably does) it will most likely be when you get stuck in the hole. You've then only a few inches to lower the bat onto the pins so no major drama.

Walkouts will certainly help with confidence - oh and ask them to move the rack away from the mirror.

[atypical1]

Walkouts will certainly help with confidence - oh and ask them to move the rack away from the mirror.

Or just face the other way. That's what I do and it looks kinda stupid but who cares?

james

[somebody]

If you're lifting 110kg at a BW of 78kg, you can probably start with 3x5. And you might want to try some walkouts.

[dhw]

If you squat in a Power Rack, than set your pins, load up about 80% and take it all the way down to pins as if you are failing. You will see, "hey, if I have a problem then this is where I go".

I have failed with 300+ lbs on the bar. Did two reps and just could not make it much out of the hole on the third rep. I just went ahead and brought it all the way down and sat back with the bar going onto the pins. My butt ended up on the floor, no big deal.

[Portillo]

Whats a walkout?

[Love_Deadlifts]

Whats a walkout?

Load up the bar much heavier than you can actually squat. Get it in position, walk backwards to where you would normally squat, stand there, walk back to the rack, and set the weight down.

[LudwigVan]

This is really becoming an issue when I find I'm becoming increasingly anxious throughout the day, reaching a peak when I reach the gym and am actually standing in front of the squat rack.

Ha! I swear I had to look back at the top of your post to make sure I didn't write this and then forget about it. I get the same thing. I was just talking about it here and eLv chimed in with some advice.

But definitely practice lowering the bar to the pins. I felt like it might be scary or dangerous before I'd ever tried it, but I've lowered 315 to the pins safely. It's no big deal, except for the general bummer that is having to bail on a set.

[NotNowChief]

I got scared sometimes doing 5x5's, I got even more scared building up to 1x5's on madcows. I think practicing the bailout is great advice, once I had dumped a few squats with no injuries or anything, the fear subsided a bit.

A big squat will always have an edge to it, but knowing you can deal even if it goes wrong takes the edge down from fear to managable (and healthy IMO) anxiety.

[mjh]

I'll add my vote for practising abandoning the squat. use a weight that is heavy but that you know you can handle, and practice lowering it that extra little bit to the safety bars. It will help you get past that psychological barrier.

[Alyion]

I use to be scared of failure - until I failed

It was caught by the pins and I didn't die, I realised then it wasnt a massive deal