Mental Toughness for Max Effort Lifting Days

The log helps. Seeing the progress over months makes the bad days feel like small blips on the radar.

Does anyone use smelling salts? I feel like that's the ultimate 'mental toughness' shortcut. It forces your body into 'fight or flight' instantly.

I only use them for actual meets. If I need salts to get through a Tuesday afternoon training session, I'm probably too burnt out and need a deload.

Agreed. Salts are for the platform. In the gym, you need to build the mental fortitude without the chemical assistance.

One trick I use is 'chunking.' I don't think about the whole squat. I think about the walk-out. Then I think about the breath. Then the descent. Small wins lead to the big win.

'Chunking' sounds very helpful. I definitely get overwhelmed by the total weight instead of focusing on the process. Going to try that on my next heavy deadlift day.

Good luck, Portland! You've got the strength, now you just need to get out of your own way.

Let us know how it goes! We've all been in that headspace before.

One last thing—don't forget to eat. Hard to be mentally tough when you're hangry and low on carbs!

Standard American advice there, @TXguy99! But he's not wrong. Eat big to lift big.