T-men,
I was very hesitant to post this b/c it may possibly be misconstrued as psychologically destabilizing or harmful but I’ve found this to be an effective and useful way of getting into a “state of intensity”, not completely unfamiliar to some but worth repeating for the uninitiated. USE SPARINGLY!
In fact, I just set a new 3rm bench pr tonight that I’ve been stuck at over 4 mo and I’m so PSYCHED I want to share this…and all it took was a new level of AGGRESSION and manipulation of some internal and external stimuli.
Light stimuli
I’m sure people here have used movies, T-mag articles and real-life heroes with inspirational alpha-male characterics and themes to get into the mood to workout(Rocky,Predator, Rudy, Body for Life j/k. It worked well when I was beginning and works well with positive attitude and mindset…but I hit a 2-3 yr plateau w/ sporadic progress…so I experimented.
Dark stimuli
Since 9/11, I’ve been using darker visualization strategies or movie situations to force my aggressive emotions and intensity higher. This is beyond Shugart gut checks and merry xmas bob…etc. I mean these days I get so RAGING MAD that my hands start shaking and scraping at the sides of my legs, I start getting involuntary facial twitches and my eyes go bloodshot and teary almost like I’m crying. I imagine myself in disturbing and terrifying situations and ask myself, what would I do?..kinda like recent Atomic Dog article on technological traps…
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?! ARE YOU GOING TO LET EVIL HAPPEN TO THE ONES YOU LOVE B/C YOU’RE A PUSSY IN THE GYM? ARE YOU?!
Here are some examples:
- mom trapped under girder in 9/11 attack when I’m deadlifting
- I’m punching scumbag that just raped my girlfriend as I benchpress
- I’m chasing down child molester as I perform squats or windsprints.
- I’ve been shot and I have 20-30 seconds of strength left before I die to kill the bastard that…etc.
I ask myself, AM I GOING TO LET THIS HAPPEN?
I picture actions and motions that resemble my current lifting movement.
In the gym:
I ask myself would I just TRY and bench 3 reps (throw 3 punches)if someone just killed my family and spit in my face? HELL NO! I’d throw 3 devastating punches that would shatter his face, his skull, my hand and every atom in between…and then I GO AND MAKE MY 3 REPS.
Yes, these are EXTREMELY disturbing and negative to the point of being psychologically TOXIC… but nonetheless, for very short periods of time (45-60min workout), THEY WORK AMAZINGLY.
This is Yoda/Morpheus “doing and not trying” philosophy taken to an extreme.
for example: Tonight I just watched Casualties of War w/ Michael J. Fox an older movie where these scumbag soldiers rape and kill this little girl (local civilian)and try and cover it up. I actually thought I could feel my blood boiling all the way to the gym! Would I let one of these assholes breathe another breath if I had a chance to make a difference? I had an IMAGE of a staggering Vietnamese girl w/ multiple stab wounds trying to get away from these f’khead rapists FLASHING in front of my eyes right before I started each set. You bet I kicked ass in the gym tonight.
Hit the damn weights like your life, your family, kids and everyone around you depends on it.
Let your sense of honor and dignity within you explode and RAGE against the dark!
Works for me.
Ronin
btw: Oh yeah, to answer everyone’s lurking question: NO,I AM NOT USING STEROIDS…but Halo and a-bombs ain’t got shit on me!