How to deal with impatience?

LiftHeavyThings27105

mutantspicy wrote: »

LiftHeavyThings27105 wrote: »

When I was doing the power lifting thing and getting up there in the weights (for me....not really all that impressive numbers, but a lot for me) I was super focused and would concentrate on proper breathing between sets. I would also visualize all of the queues for the next set of whatever....

I played sports in high school and college and was (and still am) very much into visualization. I mean, how in the hell does someone hit a 96mph fastball or an 84mph curveball, right? The brain....see the ball, hit the ball, trust your hands. That comes with a lot of visualization. At least, for me.

It worked well for me with lifting. The first time I pulled with three plates, I remember it well. I had two plates on each side and the 35lbs (so, 295lbs). I had - at that point - never done 300lbs (or higher). So, for the next two minutes and 30 seconds I sat where I always sat, focused on getting my breathing correct and just visualized three plates on each side and me pulling that *kitten* off the floor with perfect form and technique. I l killed two birds with one stone...…+300lbs and three plates.

That 90 seconds - 180 seconds in between sets can really put you in a great place, mentally. If the mind thinks it can do something...….

Thanks for that! When I played football, I used to visualize my 3 step power move all the time. Power of the mind is something that's for sure, and I suspect as I creep toward the 300 mark its going to become more necessary to keep my head in the game.

That.....and everything tight af! :-)

Muscle_for_Fitness

I usually try to do some sort of mobility drills, activation, or just work on form during early sets. Once I get into my heavier sets, I rarely do anything but focus on letting my muscles recover. I will pair my accessory lifts together so my rest periods are much shorter.

mutantspicy

Muscle_for_Fitness wrote: »

I usually try to do some sort of mobility drills, activation, or just work on form during early sets. Once I get into my heavier sets, I rarely do anything but focus on letting my muscles recover. I will pair my accessory lifts together so my rest periods are much shorter.

So you are saying you do some activation, mobility and muscle control during your warm up sets? The program I'm on now has me doing my heavy sets up front then the smaller accessory lifts. Of course it requires warm up sets before lifting the working weight.

Which overall, tonight went way better! Maybe just talking about it and airing it out helped. I don't know. But I had a mentality that this was going to take however long it takes. Lower Body Strength day - I'm doing a PHAT like program. Normally this day takes me 50 to 60 mins, today 89 mins. I did more warm up sets, and took more time between sets. My squat went very well, I'll move up again next week to 255. But my dead lift went up 30 lbs to 275. I plan to stay there for a while. I need to work on my grip strength, which is my road block with deads. I got my reps but had to switch to mix grip pretty quick each set. I also realize that once I get thru the next 6 week block, I'm gonna have to consider changing my program so that squat and dead power lifts don't happen on the same day. We'll see.

ricka1962

Nothing wrong with waiting 90 seconds, but if you're ready to go sooner, why wait? Take a 60 second rest, or even a 30 sec rest. Then see how you feel after the next set? Personally, I find the shorter rest sets get more intense for me. Still get hypertrophy too.

The key is (for me) is to maintain the same volume for time under tension.

robertw486

You just can't rest quickly. It sucks.

I usually just zone out and/or people watch. Sometimes watching the people that are killing it would be the motivation to just suck it up and take the rest break. Watching the people that do nothing in the gym would be motivation to not waste my time and make sure I kill it on the next set.

comptonelizabeth

This is going to sound hippy dippy and I expect to get a woo or 2. But, mindfulness? I find it helps massively with impatience of any kind. Stay in the moment instead of thinking ahead. Find at least 3 things you can see, hear, feel, smell and taste (shouldn't be hard in a gym!) Works for me in all kinds of situations.

deputy_randolph

I have to rest for a couple of minutes between heavy sets. I usually go to the bathroom. Peeing on the platform isn't as glamorous as it sounds.

mutantspicy

comptonelizabeth wrote: »

This is going to sound hippy dippy and I expect to get a woo or 2. But, mindfulness? I find it helps massively with impatience of any kind. Stay in the moment instead of thinking ahead. Find at least 3 things you can see, hear, feel, smell and taste (shouldn't be hard in a gym!) Works for me in all kinds of situations.

Well I'm a hippy who does yoga so.. You're not going to get any complaints out of me. And yeah, its really just a mental thing. I went several years of doing total body circuits and then really high volume body building, there was always this get in, get it done, get out attitude with that, every workout is 30 to 40 mins. Now that I'm circled back to this hybrid of power lifting and hypertrophy training its just a different mind space. I think just acknowledging it out loud, has already helped. I just to need to accept there is no reason to rush it or hurry, its all about lifting that weight!

stanmann571

Bring a paperback.

quiksylver296

deputy_randolph wrote: »

I have to rest for a couple of minutes between heavy sets. I usually go to the bathroom. Peeing on the platform isn't as glamorous as it sounds.

Amen, sister.

giantrobot_powerlifting

I’m usually catching my breath after holding it for five reps under load between sets. Time well spent resting before next set.

jennifer_417

I tend to pace between sets.

Chieflrg

Start pulling sumo.

The setup time of walking to barbell, placing feet, pointing up to lifting gawds, taking in air, flirting with barbell, taking in air, pulling slack, taking in air, pumping hamm strings, standing back up to point to air gawds, repulling slack out, caressing barbell, screaming expletives, standing up, snarl face the recording camera because one cannot be cute if recording, take in air, pull slack, wiggle butt, regrip to hook grip, take in air, pull slack, stand up & tork, slap legs three times, point to cute girl, pull slack out of bar, wink at bench boys, take air in, check shoes are tied, and realize you never chalked up...

Log your workout, review vid form, make notes from review, read literature, change weight, etc...

There are plenty of things to multi task between sets in a short 90 second rest.

mutantspicy

^

saragd012

I have this same exact issue. I have been doing HIIT, circuit training, boot camp, etc for years. I'm now working on Olympic Lifts and it kills me to spend so much time resting between sets. I'm not at all accustomed to having rest during a workout. I know my lifts suffer if I don't rest between sets, so I try to take my time increasing weight with each set, and I pace a lot. Sometimes I'll go through a "check-list" of the movements in my head, doing them in slow motion without the weight to pass the time and make sure my form is as ideal as I can get it. (things like: weight on heels, elbows high, where are your knees? keep your core tight, don't hold your breath).

seanlovegrove

Man I wish my rest sets were 90 seconds 😭 when I’m cutting I superset everything and never take a break. Now that I’m bulking the plan I’m on has me resting 3 mins between sets if I hit my goal of reps on the previous set and 4 mins if I don’t. It’s a pain in the *kitten* lol. I generally have a podcast going in my headphones and I tend to just focus in on that during my rest periods.

3DCAKE

In between my set I will pick one of these... 45 pop squats, 25 step ups,30 alt lunges, 30 sec toe taps,30 jumping jacks....ect Then I will do 20 sit up's (I will change it up each rep).

quiksylver296

Chieflrg wrote: »

Start pulling sumo.

The setup time of walking to barbell, placing feet, pointing up to lifting gawds, taking in air, flirting with barbell, taking in air, pulling slack, taking in air, pumping hamm strings, standing back up to point to air gawds, repulling slack out, caressing barbell, screaming expletives, standing up, snarl face the recording camera because one cannot be cute if recording, take in air, pull slack, wiggle butt, regrip to hook grip, take in air, pull slack, stand up & tork, slap legs three times, point to cute girl, pull slack out of bar, wink at bench boys, take air in, check shoes are tied, and realize you never chalked up...

Log your workout, review vid form, make notes from review, read literature, change weight, etc...

There are plenty of things to multi task between sets in a short 90 second rest.

You making fun of my setup, @chieflrg?!? :mad: :laugh:

mom23mangos

Chieflrg wrote: »

Start pulling sumo.

The setup time of walking to barbell, placing feet, pointing up to lifting gawds, taking in air, flirting with barbell, taking in air, pulling slack, taking in air, pumping hamm strings, standing back up to point to air gawds, repulling slack out, caressing barbell, screaming expletives, standing up, snarl face the recording camera because one cannot be cute if recording, take in air, pull slack, wiggle butt, regrip to hook grip, take in air, pull slack, stand up & tork, slap legs three times, point to cute girl, pull slack out of bar, wink at bench boys, take air in, check shoes are tied, and realize you never chalked up...

Log your workout, review vid form, make notes from review, read literature, change weight, etc...

There are plenty of things to multi task between sets in a short 90 second rest.

That's hilarious and too accurate.

I usually check work emails. But what someone said previously about visualization is golden. I did it recently to achieve two goals. The night before I laid in bed and visualized me hitting those goals and telling myself I was going to do it in the morning. And sure enough I did.