Breaking Through the Mental Wall

The mind is a powerful tool that can help us get through some tough times, or it can cause you to crumble. Those that are mentally strong learn how to control and handle their thoughts, while some may crumble when their mind begins to tell them to stop what they’re doing. To put this into context, I’m sure most of us have been in a workout where the task ahead of us has seemed daunting or impossible. I know I’ve been there…plenty of times!!! So I wanted to share some tips to help break through that mental wall and complete what you’ve set out to accomplish. And to those that are thinking about competing in this years open, now is a good time to start training that little voice inside your head!

Small Goals. Usually when I look at a workout for the first time, I try and not get too overwhelmed by the amount of work that I am about to do. Instead, I try and break the workout up into little chunks, or small goals. For example, during a workout that consists of 4 rounds or more I try and take it 1 round at a time. Getting caught thinking about rounds 3 and 4 before you’ve even finished the first round can make the workout seem more daunting then it really is. Long workouts or short ones, look for ways to break them up into small chunks. Completing those small goals will give you a boost of confidence and energy and keep you moving through your workout.

One More Rep. When things start to get tough sometimes I like to take step back, take a deep breath, and tell myself just to get one more rep. If a workout consists of 30 burpees, 30 thrusters, or 50 wall balls I try and tell myself to just take things one rep at time. Overtime, maybe that turns into you telling yourself to do 2 more reps or 3 more reps. This is a great way to control that mental voice inside your head in order to keep you focused on the task at hand.

Break Through. Just tell yourself to break through the wall. I’m sure we’ve all had the feeling in a workout where we think we’ve reached our limit and we just want to quit. But keep moving! If you need to take a quick breath, take a step back, or compose yourself that’s ok! Everything will be ok! Tell yourself that you’re capable of much more and break through your mental barrier.

The body can handle much more than the mind thinks. So try out some of these strategies next time you come in to crush a workout. Don’t let that little voice inside of your head beat you! Show it who’s boss!