Skill Strength

[Rocky89]

Through some research I have come to know that mental effort plays a big role in generating strength.
Surely you know this.
Strength is defined by the coordination between the muscle fiber and mind.
It's about how many electric impulses the mind can deliver to the muscle. The more muscle fibers someone can activate the more strength he generates.
Generally speaking an average man should activate at his limit about 30% of his muscle fibers,
top-athletes reach about 50%.
I had seen (TV) an average woman (sort of) deadlifting about 500 kg. A psychologist prepared her through meditation, so she was efficiently concentrated.
I find this very interesting. We have a great potential, which is only limited by our minds (referance to Hill).
I think the concept of chi is similar to this.

[izzostrength]

Alot of it is also created by thought perception and physiological adaptation to that specific perception. For instance, the baby that is trapped under a car and the mother harnesses her strength to actually lift the end of the car, or the power lifter who "psyches" himself up for a deadlift PR.

[Rocky89]

ya, there are some crazy things humans can accomplish regarding this aspect.
I like the example of the powerlifter psyching himself up. I have seen some olympic events, which are really inspiring.

Sometimes, when going heavy, I try to fool myself into thinking the actual weight is light.
And then sometimes they really feel light - or maybe I just feel dizzy...

[markg]

Sometimes when pressing a heavy weight, I make believe I'm a boxer training for a fight with a big log above my head and shout 'ADRIAAAAAN!' to psyche myself up. Gets some pretty weird looks in the gym...

[Rocky89]

nice idea...
next time I'll try to imagine myself being a warrior so I can shout 'THIS IS SPARTA', while doing my stretches...

[jak3dude]

I know this to be very true...

Just before when I was going for 260 5x5 squat I was so nervous and failed to complete what should have been an easy increment of 5 extra pounds, it felt light, I felt good about it, and then thoughts of not being able to finish entered my mind and I ****ed up...couldn't get past 4 rep of my 4th set...

pisses me off, but at least I know I'm getting that lift on wednesday now...so pissed...

[Rocky89]

good luck for your attempt on wednesday!

[jak3dude]

good luck for your attempt on wednesday!

thanks, but hopefully luck won't be needed

[Dada]

Sometimes when pressing a heavy weight, I make believe I'm a boxer training for a fight with a big log above my head and shout 'ADRIAAAAAN!' to psyche myself up. Gets some pretty weird looks in the gym...

When I was in college I had a friend that used to shout "Arnold....Arnold...Arnooooold!!!" ala Lou Ferrigno in Pumping Iron. Now I train at home in my garage with my 3 year old usually hanging around. Lately I find myself shouting "Don't touch thaaaat!" or "Get awaaaaaay! I don't want to drop this on you!"

[sailo888]

Yeah...when I am lifting the heavy weights set.. I always repeat the line: "mind over matter mind over matter mind over matter"!!! and usually it works or I did not focus hard enough. I always believed in MIND OVER MATTER! If you think you can do it, you can (to a point).

Or I like singing this sing in my head when i am lifting. "Anything YOU can do i can do better!! i can do anything better than YOU!" It just motivates me and keep me going...

[markg]

That's good stuff guys. I might borrow some of those if I may. Next time in the gym, I could shout 'Don't touch thaaaaat!' while benching and see what looks I get

[Dada]

That's good stuff guys. I might borrow some of those if I may. Next time in the gym, I could shout 'Don't touch thaaaaat!' while benching and see what looks I get

LOL Mabye throw in a "do you want a time out???". Speaking of which I had a argument about something stupid yesterday and at the same time my son was interrupting. So my wife gets confused and ends up telling me to go take a time out and eat my peanut butter sandwich. haha

[markg]

I hope you did as you were told Dada! I actually laughed out loud at that one!

[Warren]

Guy at my gym shouts "LIGHT WEIGHT BABY!!!!!" before unracking. Seems to work.

[gargoyle]

I know I have already caught myself on this. Fretting about what is there instead of just lifting. More than once now (in my short time with this) I have strained to get an early rep, noted I was straining, decided to stop 'trying' to lift it and just put the damn weight where I want it (like at the top of the press). And, boom, no strain, the weight is there, reps completed, on to the next set with no issue.

Makes me think of yoda - 'do or do not, there is no try'. Also, 'size matters not'. Geeky, but rather kind of true.