Psychological Methods of Lifting Heavier Weights

Weightlifting ability depends largely on physical fitness and muscle strength. Weightlifters must be in peak physical condition to lift heavy weights. However, weightlifting also involves a mental component. Changing the way you think can help you improve as a weightlifter. Use these psychological methods to work harder and increase the amount of weight you can lift.

Goal Setting

• To become a great weightlifter and increase your lifting abilities, set concrete goals for yourself. Avoid vague or abstract goals such as "get huge arms." Instead, create more specific long-term goals such as "be able to bench press 275 lbs. by next May." Then craft sub-goals that help maintain your focus and achieve benchmarks along the way.

  Psychologists have found that athletes who set concrete goals show significant improvement. This results from the organization and focus goals bring, as well as the motivation to work toward a specific end-point.

Focus

• If you are trying to increase your weightlifting ability, try to remove or diminish distractions. Weightlifting requires mental activity in order to focus on the lift and block out extraneous noise. During each lift, concentrate on what each part of your body is doing. Attending to your form and focusing your full attention on lifting helps you increase in strength.

Visualization

• Sports psychologists advise athletes to utilize visualization to more effectively achieve goals. Every day, picture yourself completing an important goal or achieving a lifting milestone. Thinking positively about what you will achieve helps you maintain motivation and work toward your goals.

  Before each lift, visualize your body executing the motion with proper form. Using mental imagery to plan each activity improves performance when you actually perform the motion. This will allow you to lift more effectively and increase weights.