Mental Block on deadlift 1RM

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quiksylver296
quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anybody have any tips on breaking through a mental block on lifting a one rep max?

My thought process used to be "I'm gonna crush this weight." Last night, I was lifting 30 lbs less than my all-time PR, and my thought was "This is gonna be heavy. I'm not sure I can get it." I got it, but barely, and it was super grindy. Jumped 20 lbs (still 10 pounds under PR), and couldn't hit it. I can tell this is mental and not physical.

All tips and tricks appreciated!
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Replies

  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
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    I have nothing to offer other than your abs are amazing in your profile picture. <3
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    edited January 2019
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    fitoverfortymom wrote: »
    I have nothing to offer other than your abs are amazing in your profile picture. <3

    It's mostly good lighting, posture, and a bit of optical illusion. :laugh: I've been bulking since October. I can't wait to get back down to that weight again and see how it looks now.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Hey, @chieflrg. Any comments?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Having the same issue with my clean...it's been going on for a couple weeks and now I'm mind *kitten*...
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Having the same issue with my clean...it's been going on for a couple weeks and now I'm mind *kitten*...

    Dude. Same. It's pissing me off.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
    edited January 2019
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    When I crushed my PR, I laid in bed the night before and told myself "Tomorrow you are going to do this." And then I laid there and envisioned it. I walked into the gym with 100% confidence that I could do it. Spent a few minutes psyching myself up with a pep talk "You can do this, you know you can." and then stepped up and gave it my all.

    But to your point - I've still failed at weights lower than that after.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Yeah, it's weird @mom23mangos. I've tried the positive self-talk, and then another part of me says that I'm just lying to myself. I've never been like this before.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Oh! And I'm not having this issue with squats or bench, just deads. :s
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Yeah, it's weird @mom23mangos. I've tried the positive self-talk, and then another part of me says that I'm just lying to myself. I've never been like this before.

    Have you tried the visualization? You may have to dig a little deeper into your psyche to figure out why you are sabotaging yourself. Is something else going on in your life that is making you doubt yourself? It's probably happening on deads because it's the lift that matters to you the most. Maybe there is a fear of not being able to top your old PR that is causing you to get blocked below that. Just throwing out random thoughts.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    edited January 2019
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    mom23mangos wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Yeah, it's weird @mom23mangos. I've tried the positive self-talk, and then another part of me says that I'm just lying to myself. I've never been like this before.

    Have you tried the visualization? You may have to dig a little deeper into your psyche to figure out why you are sabotaging yourself. Is something else going on in your life that is making you doubt yourself? It's probably happening on deads because it's the lift that matters to you the most. Maybe there is a fear of not being able to top your old PR that is causing you to get blocked below that. Just throwing out random thoughts.

    I think all the bolded is correct. I'll have to work on the visualization.

    As to something else going on in my life, nothing I can think of off the top of my head. I'll have to think on that one.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
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    I had a string of injuries at one point a couple years ago and ended up absolutely terrified to walk into the gym again-let alone pick up a barbell-because i feared getting hurt again. Terrified like panic attacks, had to see a therapist to fix it, kind of an issue (not just a little wonky worry like would be normal for a few workouts).

    I did a TON of visualization. There was a lot of talking and other stuff too-but the visualization really helped me believe I could do it again. Deadlifts were my last holdout. Even after I was doing everything else just fine-I was still holding back on DL. I have since beaten my previous PR.

    I know that’s not the same issue-but I wanted to chime in with the power of visualization with such things. I still use it a lot.

    I hope you figure something out.
  • shor0814
    shor0814 Posts: 559 Member
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    How long ago was your PR and what was it? When I hit a legit deadlift PR I usually suffer for a couple weeks where my body just doesn't want to hit all the reps or hit +1 or 2. I have to sometimes grind through a couple weeks before I feel back to 100% I have even done a deload week and just took my mind off deadlifting and came back hungry and ready for another PR.

    You hit it once, you can again. But a PR shouldn't happen every time you go to the gym if you are outside the novice stages.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    edited January 2019
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    shor0814 wrote: »
    How long ago was your PR and what was it? When I hit a legit deadlift PR I usually suffer for a couple weeks where my body just doesn't want to hit all the reps or hit +1 or 2. I have to sometimes grind through a couple weeks before I feel back to 100% I have even done a deload week and just took my mind off deadlifting and came back hungry and ready for another PR.

    You hit it once, you can again. But a PR shouldn't happen every time you go to the gym if you are outside the novice stages.

    Yeah. I know this. I’m a competitive powerlifter with a coach who sets my training cycles. My PR was last spring, 170 kg, 385.6 lbs.
  • Erik8484
    Erik8484 Posts: 458 Member
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    It's a mindset. I get there with music. When I turn on something that's loud enough, fast enough and angry enough, all my negative thoughts disappear. It's like there's not enough room in my head for the music and the negative thoughts at the same time, or as if the negative thoughts can only exist while you're focusing on them and fuelling them, and once your mind moves away, they just disappear.

    Here's Eric Bugenhagen amping himself up for a 565lb zercher squat. Watching him might give you some ideas.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeiHrhiJOqU
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    Options
    Erik8484 wrote: »
    It's a mindset. I get there with music. When I turn on something that's loud enough, fast enough and angry enough, all my negative thoughts disappear. It's like there's not enough room in my head for the music and the negative thoughts at the same time, or as if the negative thoughts can only exist while you're focusing on them and fuelling them, and once your mind moves away, they just disappear.

    Here's Eric Bugenhagen amping himself up for a 565lb zercher squat. Watching him might give you some ideas.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeiHrhiJOqU

    I agree with amp music, but I can’t wear headphones in competition... 😢
  • Erik8484
    Erik8484 Posts: 458 Member
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Erik8484 wrote: »
    It's a mindset. I get there with music. When I turn on something that's loud enough, fast enough and angry enough, all my negative thoughts disappear. It's like there's not enough room in my head for the music and the negative thoughts at the same time, or as if the negative thoughts can only exist while you're focusing on them and fuelling them, and once your mind moves away, they just disappear.

    Here's Eric Bugenhagen amping himself up for a 565lb zercher squat. Watching him might give you some ideas.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeiHrhiJOqU

    I agree with amp music, but I can’t wear headphones in competition... 😢

    You only have to take them off when you step onto the platform though, right? Might be worth trying getting psyched up, ripping your headphones off and immediately going for your lift.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    Options
    Erik8484 wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Erik8484 wrote: »
    It's a mindset. I get there with music. When I turn on something that's loud enough, fast enough and angry enough, all my negative thoughts disappear. It's like there's not enough room in my head for the music and the negative thoughts at the same time, or as if the negative thoughts can only exist while you're focusing on them and fuelling them, and once your mind moves away, they just disappear.

    Here's Eric Bugenhagen amping himself up for a 565lb zercher squat. Watching him might give you some ideas.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeiHrhiJOqU

    I agree with amp music, but I can’t wear headphones in competition... 😢

    You only have to take them off when you step onto the platform though, right? Might be worth trying getting psyched up, ripping your headphones off and immediately going for your lift.
    Erik8484 wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Erik8484 wrote: »
    It's a mindset. I get there with music. When I turn on something that's loud enough, fast enough and angry enough, all my negative thoughts disappear. It's like there's not enough room in my head for the music and the negative thoughts at the same time, or as if the negative thoughts can only exist while you're focusing on them and fuelling them, and once your mind moves away, they just disappear.

    Here's Eric Bugenhagen amping himself up for a 565lb zercher squat. Watching him might give you some ideas.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeiHrhiJOqU

    I agree with amp music, but I can’t wear headphones in competition... 😢

    You only have to take them off when you step onto the platform though, right? Might be worth trying getting psyched up, ripping your headphones off and immediately going for your lift.

    Yeah, that happens. 😆
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Thanks, @chieflrg. My other lifts are going well. Maybe that’s just it.

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