In my eyes, the correct mentality and mindset towards training is absolutely essential in order to progress with whatever goals or targets you have set yourself. Without the right mentality, it is hard to progress, especially when the going gets tough and training starts to get stale.
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One thing I have focused on this summer is stopping myself from setting a mental limitation before every training session.
Don’t underestimate your own ability
The best scenario for me to explain this would be doing 14.4 when the open was on. The workout was announced and Bridges & Panchik made it back to the rower. I then looked at the leaderboard and saw that the top European and UK athletes had made it to the rower to. This set the scene straight away, immediately I said to myself “these guys made it to the rower, I won’t be able to get anywhere near that”. Yes, I was probably right at the time, I wasn’t fit, experienced enough or strong enough at the time to fight through to the rower. I still might not be able to at this point in training, but why cut yourself or anyone down before you have even started or even tried? Understanding realistic limitation is a must, but why limit yourself to a certain time or certain amount of reps before you have even given it a shot yourself. This statement is relevant to different athletic abilities & is completely individual. I am not saying you will get to the rower after crossfitting for a week. But don’t set your target to low, don’t underestimate your own ability and have the self-belief to do that a little bit better! Always.
This can be the same for lifting or any strength work for that matter. An example would be making the 3 figures in the snatch. This is a big milestone for a Crossfitter. 100 kg is a very good lift and any Crossfitter to have hit it should be proud of the achievement. But why stop or limit yourself to that figure? Why there? A lot of people feel that the 3 figure lift maybe a limitation for them and that’s as far as they can go. When in reality further work, practice, persistence and strength work will probably surpass it. But you have to believe you will first, you have to mentally understand you will before your body aims to make it happen!
The statement has been made by a lot of people within the fitness and sports industry “if you set your mind on something, you believe you can achieve something, your body will find a way to make it happen“.
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Yes there must be a sense of reality to this. I am not saying rack 180 kg and expect to squat it just because you want to, figures will always be relevant to people at different levels and abilities. If you set your mind on a specific target, something realistic and challenging, 9 times out of 10 your body will do its best to make it happen. A lot of plateaus, missed lifts and failures come from you not having faith in your own ability. Not believing in yourself enough to make the lift and naturally putting a limit on yourself whether it’s the excuse of age, time or ability.
Have a target, but don’t limit yourself
I have found this extremely beneficial recently. Especially with repeating workouts, the first time you feel you could give no more but then second time round you find yourself completing more reps. Have a target, but don’t limit yourself, don’t settle for anything less than you are capable of. The body has the ability to do some incredible things. Put it into perspective, take a look at the young Chinese and Russian weightlifters of this generation. Snatching 100 kg at the age of 12/13, the body’s capable of it, yes it takes time, hard work and dedication, but why use age as a limitation, young or old?
Keep fighting to better yourself and surpass personal barriers everyday. Have targets, achieve them, and then set the boundary even higher. This is common for a lot of competitive athletes, they are never satisfied, they are proud of their progress but always want more.
The biggest meaning in all this is self-belief
Not just in training, but in anything you pursue in life. Do not limit yourself to certain things purely out of fear disguised as practicality. Have the courage to prove to yourself that you can do more and don’t undermine the ability of yourself or the people around you.
If you want to make something happen, go out and give it your best shot. Stay realistic at times, but be driven to make any dream you have a reality. Don’t hold yourself back! Believe. Mentality outweighs a lot of things. There’s only so much your body can do for you. It may sound strange but with no motivation, no drive, no self-belief, no targets and no passion. It will be hard to pursue and progress with anything.
Stay positive, work hard and don’t limit yourself to anything. You are better than you think. Keep working hard!
Thank you for reading. Hugely grateful. JB.