Frustrated about not being able to further increase your poundages? Convinced that your muscles could lift so much more than they do? Well, it's time to open up your mind to reach a new level!
I remember when I was a child and the older ones showed me how they could carry each other using no more than their index fingers. I couldn't believe my eyes as I saw how four children lifted their class mate so easily! Well, today I more than believe it. I now know that if you believe in your strength capacity, you can lift incredibly more weight. The four children lifting the fifth with merely their fingers, believed they were powerful since they were four, and therefore they felt comfortable with the load. See what I'm getting at? What I mean is that it's only your mental approach to your capacity that holds you back!
When You Work Out
When you work out, you should never even think about how heavy the dumbbells are. When you do, your body sends out signals telling the muscles to be careful so they don't get destroyed. They want to be prepared. If they're not, they risk their life! Your job is to convince your mind that no poundage is too heavy, no dumbbell is too hard to lift. Even though you really, really know your limits, don't bring them to the gym. It's always better for muscle gains to try a heavy weight and fail before you want to, than go for the safer, lighter weights that you know you can handle for reps.
Now you may say that this is a true road to injuries and yes, you could be right - if you use inproper form that is! I defend my philosophy; you must force your body to adapt and thus put on some muscle mass! Believe me, you won't win negotiating with it. It will definitely have the opinion that you are as big as you need to sustain alive. Remember, the body hates changes! It wants everything to be as it always has been. Every change is stress to the body.
As you're starting your set, the only thoughts you should have on your mind is; "this is too easy, my muscles are laughing at this tiny load, oh my, it's just a child's play". To get a bit aggressive, I sometimes repeat "I'm going to get a pro card" in my mind. This helps a lot.
When you hit failure, your muscles are not really fatigued at all. It's your nervous system telling them to say no in order to be teared in to pieces of flesh. You cannot control this, but you can practice the skill not to listen to this warning signals. Yes, I know, your body will hate you for it, but don't mind; you'll get your new muscles faster this way!
Can you imagine how frustrating the fact is to your body that you don't listen to it?
This forces it to reinforce its workers, your muscles that is, which means lean mass gains, provided you give it the energy it needs (food and supplements!).
So, what should you do when you cannot complete another rep? Well, you "pretend" doing another one, only lifting some inches if even that much! Do this for 3-5 more fake reps and you will feel the best brun ever. This fools your brain to think you don't listen to it and it will therefore send out stronger, and stronger signals to make you stop the torture!
You have to get used to ignore the mind stopping you in order to develop new lean mass.
It's not easy, but practice makes perfect. You must be wanting to grow, BAD!
Thanks,
pauline@paulinenordin.com
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