"Focus"

Weightlifting requires a lot of mental effort, the repetitive nature of the sport can be taxing on the mind and make training seem monotonous. Focus is required to keep us present in the gym, to keep our mind from drifting and our bodies sharp.

In other sports such as CrossFit or bodybuilding it's easier to turn the brain off and go. A lot of the focus comes in terms of pushing past physical pain such as oxygen deficit and burning muscles. In weightlifting however, the focus comes in one 2-5 second burst. The ability to put all of your energy both mental and physical into one lift, one time.

Achieving a high level of focus to lift day in and day out has been a challenge for me. If the weights are feeling heavy and I'm not moving well it's harder for me to give 100% of my attention to the lift, when really that's when I should be trying harder to achieve that state.

Normally when I lift I like loud upbeat music, I try to use the music to get my adrenaline pumping. While this has worked in the past, and still works today, I've also learned the value of silence. Of innate focus. Of harnessing all my energy and mental ability into the lift. Giving myself cues in my head, visualizing how it will look and how it will feel.

Currently I train with Ian Wilson, who is without a doubt one of the best lifters we have in this country. Training with him has shown me a type of focus I had not previously seen. When Ian goes for a heavy lift the music is off and the gym is silent. All of his attention is on the bar, on the lift, for that 3 seconds.

In contrast when I was training with Jon, focus came from energy. From music, from yelling, from slaps on the back and "you better not fucking miss". It's interesting to see the different styles, both of which work very well for the lifters that use them.

I've learned that focus is something that must be improved, like all aspects of training. It can be practiced, and some days it's there, others it isn't, just like the lifts. When I get in the zone I can focus much better than if I'm being chatty and mentally escaping my workout between sets. Different workouts require different types of focus, and different lifts do as well. Sometimes I focus on the finish, sometimes the pull, sometimes staying over the bar.

Focus can turn a good session into a bad one, or into a great one. It's up to the lifter which fork in the road they take.

"Conviction"

I try not to think in absolutes. You'll never hear me say there's only one way to do something, or anyone that doesn't do something the way I do it is wrong.

Conviction is something I love, in myself, and in other people. I feel conviction is an extremely important trait to have. Having the courage to stand up for what you believe in is something that says a lot about a person. There's nothing I love more than going toe to toe with someone in a debate, it gets the blood going, the adrenaline going, it's good for the soul. 

I'll be the first to say, I piss a lot of people off. A lot. But it's always something I've taken pride in. You'll never ever see me back down from something I believe for the sake of "civility" or "letting sleeping dogs lie". I'm gonna stand up and shout my beliefs, and if you don't agree with me, that's fine. 

I think a large reason as to why people are afraid to display conviction is because they don't want to be disliked. It's easier to back down and tuck tail than to stand and deal with the repercussion of negativity from other people. We live in a society where if you don't agree with someone on a certain topic or belief it gives you the right to hate them. I've always found this odd. 

One of my favorite quotes is:

"Just because I disagree with you, doesn't mean I don't respect you".

No two people think the same, and if we all hated everyone we didn't agree with, we'd be in a sad lonely world. 

So what is conviction really?

Conviction isn't only something we should have in our beliefs, but also in ourselves. Conviction is what keeps me fighting. Conviction is what keeps me going after weights that I've missed the last 10 times I've tried them. Conviction is what keeps my mind focused on my task at hand, whether it be in the gym or out. 

Conviction is what tells you to go right when everyone else is going left and know that turning away from the crowd is the best thing for you.

Conviction is what keeps you strong when it would be easier to be weak.