Meet Week: physical and mental preparation

Training is on going as the meet approaches, but there are always details to be worked; especially if a lifter is chasing a PR or two or three.

At practice, coach says, "The bar is loaded.  Let's see how you do with a load of nearly 100% of your current CJ PR" 
Lifter says, "I can't do it.  I didn't sleep well, I am tired, I just cannot get under heavy weights..."
Coach, "Can't?  Or choose not to?"

Lifting is physical and mental training.  the mind and attitude must be in as good a state of fitness as the physical form is.  Assuming physical training has gone well and the lifter can front squat 115, squat 135, and power clean 80, he should be able to hit around 100 in his CJ.  So, in physical theory, the lifter should be able to make the lift in question  In actual practice, his mental state will determine his performance.

Lifter, "I can clean and jerk 100, but I choose not to do so because it is a monumental task and I guess I have not made it very important to me." 

Coach goes on to explain in very logical terms why the lifter can indeed do the lift.  No amount of this type of explanation will convince the lifter to really commit to going after the lift.  For some reason, the lifter is sabotaging himself. 

This is why the mind plays such a key role in the approach to a meet (Or even a training session).  A lifter must be focused on this lift and only this lift.  He or she must eliminate external distractions and create some type of attention boundary.  This attention boundary could be the platform:  once the lifter sets foot on the platform, there is only him and the barbell. 

He must focus on intensifying and sustaining this focus for the entire time within the attention boundary.  A story has been told to me about an Olympic Games wrestler whose shuttle taking him from the Olympic Village to the competition venue was late.  All he could think about and focus on was that his warm up routine was now messed up and what would he do?  He had no ability to focus on the task at hand (his upcoming match) and as such was eliminated in the first round versus being in contention for a medal.

Sustaining focus under adverse conditions is key. 

A lifter must be determined and committed to making the goal lifts.  If there is not that level of commitment, then all is lost; you may as well give up.  Finally, every lifter needs to be selfish on meet day.  Every lifter is there at the competition to achieve his or her own goals.  Implicit in this goal directed behavior is the ability to economize one's energy.  Arriving 5 hours in advance to a venue so you can hang around, text, update what-have-you, and cheer others on seems like a team oriented behavior-- it is-- but it subtracts from your finite energy pool so that 6 high quality, focused, determined, committed attempts can be made. 

The week (and weeks) leading up to a meet whether a local meet or a national one are for honing the mind and the body so that new areas of personal growth and reward can be achieved.  make sure not to waste all the time and effort; arrive at the meet focused, on task, determined, and ready to get to your own uncharted personal territory.

Good luck to all lifters competing at the Bluegrass Barbell Classic on May 18!