The mind can be a powerful thing. Without it, your muscles wouldn’t function. They wouldn’t be told when to contract or when to release. Your body would be useless. And what good is that when our primary goal is to train our bodies into better shape and condition? It only makes sense to train your mind just as much as your body.
Through this last year I’ve seen more and more emphasis put on the “power of mind” concept. At first glance it seems simple, but if you’ve trained for awhile and you’re looking for pushing past mental barriers, then you are well aware of just how much your mental focus can affect your workout. Going through the motions may help maintain your current progress, but if you’re striving to push past your barriers then your mind must be set to limitless. Take this quote from pro bodybuilder Kai Greene:
I’d like to share a test that I used on a few clients of mine. The results were extremely motivating and shocking to say the least. The reason why this test was so successful is because they unknowingly were pushing past mental barriers that they set in their own minds.
I used a male and female client, both in their 30’s and in fairly good shape. After testing their maximal strength on a standard chest press machine during the previous week, I took them through a chest workout. I informed them that they will be performing 3 sets of 12, 10, and 8 reps respectively, each using a pyramid-style of training going up in weight each time.
The second week I took them through the exact same workout with only one small difference: The weight we used was heavier than before. I instructed them that I was going to start out with the same weight as last week, while simultaneously leaving out the fact that I would be increasing each set by 10-15 pounds instead of five. I emphasized only putting forth 100% effort and to do their absolute best, as I do with every workout.
The trick here is that they believed completely in their mind that they were lifting the same weights as the previous week. This completely took any possible negative thoughts out of their heads given the awareness that they already completed this particular weight before. The only thing left to do was lift the weight!
The results were incredible. Not only did both of them complete the exercise with the same reps (12,10,8) but they used about 20% more weight than before! It’s truly amazing how the mind can make or break pushing past mental barriers and just how successful you can become.
If you’re looking to achieve anything, regardless if it’s in the gym or not, your mind must first BELIEVE it is possible. Setting a mental barrier for yourself will only hold you back from life’s successes. In relation to the gym, I challenge you to allow your mind to be strengthened along with your body.
-Mitch Muller
CPT – MindsetFitness.net
Pushing Past Mental Barriers