I was watching a guy talk about removing negative thoughts and fear from a heavy lift. While I understood what he was implying, the depth didn't explain to the practical user HOW! (or maybe he did, but I thought he was so full of it that I turned it off)

In my entire career coaching, the moment I tell someone NOT to do something, they go ahead and DO exactly what I told them NOT to do.

You have to tell people what you want them to do in order for them to get it.

A person can NOT stop thinking about something. It's in there. It's real. Let's say that max lift, "don't think about how it can smash you into a billion-killafragments" isn't going to happen.

It's like using this example...

Think about the color "Green". Got it? Like a green light at an intersection. A Christmas tree or St. Patrick's celebration.

Got it???

OK STOP thinking about the color GREEN!

You can't.

NOW, Think about something RED! A stop sign or light at that intersection, BLOOD that is dripping from your shins on that heavy deadlift you did, Rudolph's nose!

It's only by REPLACING your thought that you can rid yourself of it temporarily.

So instead of thinking about getting crushed by that heavy squat, or bench, you need to see yourself accomplishing the lift. You have to FEEL what it's like to beat it and how you're going to act and celebrate your personal best.

You can't STOP thinking about it. The brain doesn't work that way.

You must REPLACE the thought.

Secondly, you can't STOP "FEAR". You have to OVERCOME it!

Fear is an acronym and you have to remember that. F.E.A.R. means "False Evidence Appearing Real". However, it is VERY real to that participant.

To overcome that fear, a person needs to FACE it.

Years ago I made it a point to listen to a visitor we had on my college campus. G. Gordan Liddy wasn't high on many people's "Have to see" list but I saw him as an American lawyer, an FBI agent, and a convicted felon in the scandal known as Watergate as the chief operative during President Nixon's time in office. Liddy was convicted of conspiracy, burglary, and illegal wiretapping for his role in the scandal.

In his talk, he spoke about overcoming his fears. He was afraid of thunder and lightning as a kid so he tied himself to a tree, high up during a fierce storm. He also hated rats, so he ate one!

What Mr. Liddy did was face each of his fears head-on in order to overcome them, and YES, sometimes more often than not it will take drastic measures to do so.

You can not stop thinking or being fearful of something. I don't care WHO says so. You have to REPLACE your thoughts and fears with positive affirmations and head-on all balls out fear removal.

Today's Training:

Recovery Run: 50 mins

Stretch/Foam Roll/ Liberal use of Magnesium gel that Chad Aichs recommended to me and an AWESOME nap!!!