Mentally regrouping

[PeterDolan]

I've seen something come up in one of the journals that got me thinking. Now I've never stepped on the platform but when ever I've missed a lift in the gym it annoys me but doesn't effect me, I'd imagine things are alot different in comp though, how do you guys regroup after a missed lift going ahead in to the next one?

[Dr Squat]

I've seen something come up in one of the journals that got me thinking. Now I've never stepped on the platform but when ever I've missed a lift in the gym it annoys me but doesn't effect me, I'd imagine things are alot different in comp though, how do you guys regroup after a missed lift going ahead in to the next one?

Good question bro. My worst moments are in the squat. I always had depth issues (Lol Jigga will love this) and this meant I often missed my first squat. The issue wasn't the weight but the depth so maybe not as bad.

One of the gutsiest things I saw was a guy called Jason Greig miss his first two benches at the Commonwealth Champs. He didn't just miss them he got crushed by the weight. He came back and got the third. This took courage and self belief. I was sure he was gone. I would have been.

If it's just technique then it's about focus. Do the little things right and back yourself to make it good. If it's the weight and you have farked up then you need to do something massive to change the tide. Something like adjusting the equipment or changing the hand/feet placement. The biggest thing is actually believing. Missing an attempt usually sows a seed of doubt. You need to overcome this doubt or you are gone.

[drizzt]

VP would be a good one to chime in here too :nod: I watched him fail his first bench at the bledisbro last year - I thought it was just too heavy (but was more of a technique issue I believe). Comes out the 2nd time, nails it, and then I think he hit a PB on the 3rd from memory?

Anyway I'll let VP fill in the blanks if he reads this

I've only failed 3rd lifts in my one comp so far, so I'm not qualified to answer properly. Have hit a few things in the gym for 2nd attempts that I bombed the first time, normally it's just slight technique adjustments, and/or encouragement from those watching that get you through the 2nd+ attempts.

[bar-belle]

Sadly I'm qualified enough to post here . Recently at the Auckland PL Champs I missed my 2nd squat due to a couple of issues, I was gutted and I never regained the confidence to finish the job on the squats and therefore missed my 3rd attempt. Steak was awesome...he knew the buttons to push to get my head/heart back in the game. I was firmly reminded of the long hours, the hot and the cold of the cycle, the sheiko flu and just what I was there to do. With these positive affirmations and assurances I then went on to record my best comp benching and equally my best comp total despite missing the 2nd/3rd squat.

Long story short use your training partner for mental encouragement, remind yourself of the greater picture and congratulate yourself as you reach all the little goals along the journey. It is really important to have these goals in place and equally important to reward yourself in some way and acknowledge to yourself that you've made it. Gives you something to fall back on.

My 2c

[PeterDolan]

Some pretty good feedback. Must be hard and even at times embarrassing missing a lift

[HarryB]

Some pretty good feedback. Must be hard and even at times embarrassing missing a lift

Well from just in the gym perspective I'm a get straight back on the bike kind of guy. If I miss something I think I should be able to do I will try it again a few times and usually get it. If I miss something I am trying for say in a new pb then I am not overly fussed. I just step away and do a bit more ground work then try again when I think I am ready.

[Viking Power]

Good question PD, :wink:

Cheers Drizzt for reminding me :pfft: :pfft: joking mate.....

First off there was a qoute from Ed Coan which has stuck with me that went along the lines off well if training has being going all right you'll not sick and your diet is good there should be no reason why you miss a lift........ So when i read into that statement I automatically pick up Powerlifting is a Mental Sport, and one off our greatest women powerlifters Cathy Millan took a year off completeing to focus on this issue and lets just say she still holds records in 3 or 4 weight classes her records still stand haven't being broken in ten odd years from memory if you believe in yourself and have no fear then you will always come out on top providing the above is right back ya self cause you are the only one that can do it being able to stay in this frame off mind is the hardest thing you know when you are in it....... One important tip though when choosing numbers be honset don't let ego beat you, you are as good as your training has being I am still very new to this sport and I see people open with shit that should be there third attempt and wonder why they bomb it doesn't matter what you start on it only matters what you finish on :wink: .......

Bbro last year was my mistake I bring it down to a Rookie era to be fair, I stuff up the warm up times on the bench I was still warming up raw and I looked at the board and to my shock horror my name was two away from being on the platform :roll: So I had to move quick I got Big Mac to put on my shirt and I didn't have a chance to do one warm up in it, the weight was never an issue I always use a opener that I can do 3 reps on but then I took the weight down I was so amped that I wanted to sent it though the roof so when I pushed it flew out off grove and i could not control it and resulted in a no lift, first time it happen to me and I bring it down to not warming up in the shirt biggest mistake i made that day so I had to play safe and repeat the lift as my second attempt, but yeah I did come away with a PB wasn't the PB I had planned on so I was a little disappointed in myself.

But I came away saying to myself I will never get caught like this again keep a close on the board and where you are as there is so much going on you have to be on your game.

[tinytraps]

Auckland bench champs last year I went in with the sole goal of setting the jr 125 bench record.

Things were going wrong from the start, having problems with the shirt, the warm up benches had no padding (absolutey no friction on them, problems with setups) and I miss timed my warmups pretty badly, I hit 150 then 3 lifters later I had to hit 155.

The opener went without a hitch, got 2 to 1 and equalled the record. My plan from here was to go 160 and then 170 or 180 to push it higher.

Come out for my second attempt, get the bar handed to mehold it out for a good 10secs and get the rack call. I reset get th bar then after a long hold I finally get the start call, grinded it up. Got called 2 reds to 1 for my right foot being off the ground. I was pretty pissed off, but I used it to amp me up for my last lift. But same thing happened had to resetup again, This time the start call came quick and 160 flew up. Checked the lights and 2 to 1 red again same for the heel.

I was pissed! Packed a major tanty in the warm up area I felt robbed as there were a few other lifters that had the same issues with their heels and didnt get called for it. Mentally I was drained putting all that energy into it and getting nothing out. But in saying that I had Danomyte and Big J as handlers and they did a good job rationalizing things and calming me down. Sort of put a bad taste in my mouth and to date that was the last pl comp I have done (although there is definetley more to come)

[Tonka]

Mental strength starts in your overall training preparation. It needs to go back to what and how you train in the gym. I advise all my training partners to train the lift(s) like a step by step process. Ensure your form is within all rules set by the federation so that come the day of comp, nothing needs to change. Its a common mistake seeing lifters not setup correctly; stand up straight before squatting; lockout arms at the start of a bench; lockout knees deadlifting; not wait for refs calls; DONT PAUSE; feet flat on the ground throughout the press; keep your ass on the bench during the press; etc. The refs will only rule on what they see and if it aint to standard, red light! So emphasize the importance of "training legally" as I call it.

Training like this will make all the difference come comp day on the platform. For me, because Ive addressed all the technical issues in my training by "training legally" a missed lift will normally come down to an absolute strength issue as opposed to technical issue. Technical issues that may need addressing on the day, after you have trained a certain way for so long can really put you into a mental spin because all your thinking is..."but thats how I train and lift in the gym". Gym lifts wont cut it so get it right!

If I miss a lift, first thing I do is slow everything down (slow breathing) and relax. I then visualise my lift, working through my lifting process at the same time making sure everything is right and set - focus on muscle activation and exploding through the lift. If I get pinged for technical issues, before leaving the platform I will ask the ref for feedback and then make the adjustment. Seems to do the trick...Having all this in place before hitting the platform makes all the difference on for me on comp day.

[steak]

What Tonka says here is gold.

He drummed it into me ...process, train like your going to compete and lead by example...these things ring in my head often.....at least I think that explains the ringing

Picking yourself up from a missed lift can be tough but another thing Tonka has reminded me of from time to time is to lose respect for the weight you have lifted....eg squats when you start lifting you may aim to get over 3 plates per side but when you get past it give it no respect! Move onto 4pps then 5 then 6, 7 etc

[Old Bull]

I have bombed in 3 comps all regionals and for different reasons, 1st dropped to much weight to make a weight class Squat, 2nd jumped up in weight Bench, 3rd comping and organizing don't mix, hence doing my regionals in the Mighty WBOP.

I have had 2 close calls one at the Oceania's in Townsville 2006, the call came out that they wanted 2" below parallel Aussies. 1st lift 3 reds 2nd lift 2 reds 1 white I was called depth for these by one of the NZ team members. I sat back recomposed thought about how far I had travelled to get here, what I had done in training, the fact it was my opener. I did not come here to bomb, so inched the suit up slightly went out, setup as I normally do stepped out and dropped into the hole, I heard the call up I went a bit deeper 3 whites. The funny thing was I went into that comp ranked fourth so was hoping for a 3rd place and on a real good day 2nd. Well two bombed in the squat one in the bench I got the title. But a lot of guys bombed that day a long way to travel to DNQ.

The second was at the Nationals in Auckland 2009, this time it was on the Bench dumped 140 my opener in front of me spotters had to catch, 2nd 140kgs dumped towards my head spotters again had to catch. Went back sat down recomposed thought about what I was doing why was I dumping. Visulized what I had done in training, how it was my opener, I had done this lift a lot of times before. Settled down new not to panick just get calm. Went out and nailed it flew up like a rocket stunned everyone.

Now the Nationals our class got shifted from saturday evening to Sunday morning, not usually a morning lifter have always lifted later being in the heavier groups. So we had 3 flights of around 36 to 40 lifters. We did our squats first and had to wait about 2 hours before the bench in that time I dropped out of the Zone so to speak. Watching the lifting mucking around waiting. Warm ups and everything was just sort of going through the montions it was not till the second miss that snapped me back into the zone, went on too win.

I totally agree with what Tonka and The Dr said it is self belief and how you train. But above is about being outside your commfort zone comping in a foriegn country or region. You have to adjust to what is before you, insane depth calls, comp times being changed, too many lifters not enough equipment the list goes on. Even to point of changing you lifts to suit the enviroment, case in point went to the WBOP novice last year met up with CBC crew :clap: . That comp was suppose to be 12 lifters I think 34 turned up. We were the third group, weighed in at 9.00am finished around 6.00-6.30. Late November, really hot so changed all my openers, it was going to be a comp, to test a few things, it became a comp, to survive and total.

OB1