Cunny Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 What do you do to prepare for a big bend, I have read many time that one of the main factors of sucessful bending is the mind. How can I maximise/harness the great power of the mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdoire Posted November 24, 2004 Share Posted November 24, 2004 Cunny, I don't know about bending, but I try to think of something that gets me angry...really try to work myself up...and then take it out on the effort I am trying to make. Joe Kinney also spoke of this in Strossen's book. I use it with the grippers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ishred Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 yes, anger is the key. Do anything to get yourself ready for the bend if your going for a pr. Personally, listening to slayer always get my anger juices flowing. I don't know why, but their music seems to have the most pent up rage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Loaf Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 (edited) Anger can also be what we can PASSION! Anger is confused with passion and LIFEBLOOD and WILDNESS. "Anger" in those terms has motivated some of the greatest acts of heroism on earth. Use your POWER and harness the passion in your heart. Be Maximus. Be William Wallace on that bar! Masculinity is spiritual as well as intellectual and physical. Neglect none of those three. Humble yourself before the Lord and ask his protection and blessing. But sometimes you just have to DO and not THINK. Thinking too much about a lift allows the opportunity for fear, so DO! ROCK! MEAT Edited November 25, 2004 by Meat Loaf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdoire Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 Anger can also be what we can PASSION! Anger is confused with passion and LIFEBLOOD and WILDNESS. "Anger" in those terms has motivated some of the greatest acts of heroism on earth. Use your POWER and harness the passion in your heart. Be Maximus. Be William Wallace on that bar! Masculinity is spiritual as well as intellectual and physical. Neglect none of those three. Humble yourself before the Lord and ask his protection and blessing. But sometimes you just have to DO and not THINK. Thinking too much about a lift allows the opportunity for fear, so DO! ROCK! MEAT ← A moving and well spoken post Meat!! My hat is off to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggymountainmuscle Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 I often find what helps me is to get my wrap the best and tightest I can get it. This puts aside any pain or limitations I may feel will stop a successful bend and eases my fear of injury. I feel this preparation is neccessary so that your passion can take hold of you and then give you the strength you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 Graeme, with bending, as with any strength endeavor, I've found that quiet focus on the task at hand works for me. I don't induce an angry mental state, but rather, a positive, calm mental state. The greatest motivation for me is the unquenchable desire to set new personal bests. If you want it bad enough and covet success with the task at hand enough, little else is required. I guess this is in large part something you've either been blessed (some would call it a curse) with or not. Also, I prepare myself for the struggle of a lifetime. I anticipate great physical pain and strain. I convince myself that the only thing separating me from victory is the willingness to push myself beyond my limitations, and then a little bit more. These may seem like conatradictory themes, but for me the idea that success is guaranteed if I only embrace the pain and continue pushing my body harder and harder is a very positive concept. For these reasons, I must maintain a very PR oriented training regimen to stay foucused and motivated. I hate just going through the motions. There's no passion in that, and hence, no sense of purpose. It sounds oversimplified, but pick a goal, devise a plan of reaching it, and then decide you're going to sacrifice all of your being as you strive to accomplish it. Tunnel vision is a prerequisite for attaining the right mental state. Producing a bent bar with your hands must be the only relevant and meaningful thing in existence for several minutes before your attempt, and certainly during the attempt. Think: Calm. Focused. Positive. And promote withn yourself an insatiable desire to succeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunny Posted November 25, 2004 Author Share Posted November 25, 2004 Some nice ideas here,I am trying to use the more calm method. What about when doing an isometric with something you cannot currently bend how do you know in your mind that you will bend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohanB Posted November 25, 2004 Share Posted November 25, 2004 Only two word go through my head before I bend: "No pain!". And I repeat that over and over for maybe a half a minute, then I get the feeling of that nothing can stop me and the bar will bend like nothing, that´s when I focus all of my strength into bending that bar/nail whatever, and it usally bends. A funny thing is that when I get this feeling of superiority, my mind goes blank, totaly blank. I experience this feeling when training martial arts as well and even when everything clicks in a squat, benchpress or deadlift. Without this mental rehersal I would have probably only slightly kinked the object I´m trying to overcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarytheDino Posted November 26, 2004 Share Posted November 26, 2004 For some reason cursing and swearing works for me on bending only. Focusing on the color red works on other lifts. Put something bright red where ever you bend, if that don't work cuss yourself out while some good metal plays in the background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted November 26, 2004 Share Posted November 26, 2004 I share Eric's mentality on gearing up for a big bend or other grip feat. Too much nervous energy makes me jittery and inefficient. I try not to have any wasted movements or energy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted November 26, 2004 Share Posted November 26, 2004 Some nice ideas here,I am trying to use the more calm method.What about when doing an isometric with something you cannot currently bend how do you know in your mind that you will bend it. ← I never intentionally partake of isometrics. They are always the result of me not being able to bend something I intended to bend. I've never cared for the idea of intentionally doing something you know you'll "fail" at. But regardless, isometrics have proven highly valuable to my bending progress, though I wouldn't say the same for my other conventional lifts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobi Posted November 26, 2004 Share Posted November 26, 2004 I think there are 1000 ways to preper menatlly for a bend or any other strength act. A Britney Spears Fan would rather bend to Britney Spears, while a Slayer or Slipknott Fan couldn`t bend any thing to this kind of music. And many love to stay mentally calm for a bend, while others repet words. And with the No-Pain its a fact that words with two silbs, when they are often repeted, bring the mind back in a calm staydium, like wusa or cola :) Just repet them often eneugh and you will get back calm. I like to concentrate on what I will get and viziulise it for me. Then I will begin with the exercies, no matter what exercies it is.Then I´m in a very calm and concentrated stadium. But Music is a big must. It brings a kind of rithm and power in the training! But sometimes when I try out new records or new bests than I shut it down for a while. tobi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankyBoy Posted November 26, 2004 Share Posted November 26, 2004 Everytime I'm going for maximum effort bending, bench or deadlift I focus myself on the task about 10-15 secs or so. A few seconds before the attempt I take about two or three very deep breaths and then I go. That worked quite well for me in my first contest. When focussed theres nothing else but me and the nail or weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjkd12 Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 I am very calm also, just until the point where I try to actually bend. I'll put up some music that pumps me up (currently Kill Switch Engage) and get in postition to bend, or bench or whatever. As I sit/stand there I will mentally reherse everthing I will be thinking and feeling during the bend. I know exactly what I will feel, and how I will push with everything I have. I then bring the steel up high near my chin, take a deep breath and then use all that energy that I just gathered. Mentally rehersing exactly what you are going to do, and all the feelings and emotions that go along with accomplishing that goal has helped me in everthing from powerlifting, boxing, gripping/bending and even tests at school. There is no point in going crazy and when you start the bend because you could be a little bit off. Then you just wasted all that mental and physical energy to miss because you didn't set up right or you slipped or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonL Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 Focusing on the color red works on other lifts. Put something bright red where ever you bend, if that don't work cuss yourself out while some good metal plays in the background. I guess thats why olympic lifters on stage will look at a red light before a lift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnOBrien Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 I'm in the calm lifter/bender category. I focus for 15-30 seconds thinking mostly about completing the bend, what the bent steel will look like, or form for lifting. Then just before the bend I take a few quick, deep breaths and go. I do have a tendency to hold my breath on maximal efforts which has caused me to kiss the floor a couple of times, but I can only totally focus on one thing at a time - bending or breathing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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