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What are your mental strategies for coping with pain during tough workouts and competitions?

Embrace the Suffering: Strategies to Excel in Workouts and Competitions

As cliche as it may sound for me. It's all about the suffering that I'm doing during training or competition far the benefits and the positives far outweigh the pain and suffering that I'm going to face from regret for knowing that I haven't put in the work required to either compete at the highest level or when I'm in competition. If I'm not putting in absolutely everything and doing all the things I need to do and pushing past that pain threshold, or whether it's lactate threshold, whether it's fatigue, whatever it maybe injuries working through. Eagles and whatnot, dream games, or competition. If I don't put in that effort, that's required to see success and to to get a win or to achieve the goals that I want to achieve, then the pain and suffering of regret that I'm going to have afterwards is going to be lot longer lasting than that short period during competition or training where things start to get tough. And just knowing that I'm investing in myself, whether it's the athlete, whether whatever it may be in competition or in training investing in yourself, you're putting in the work now. So that when you do compete it, Comes a lot easier for you, and it's a lot more free flowing. You can reap reap those Rewards.

The pain and suffering of doing the hard work in competition or training will pay off in the long run, as it will make achieving goals a lot easier and more rewarding.

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My mental strategy for coping with pain during tough workouts and competitions is to focus on the bigger picture. I remind myself that the suffering I experience in training or competition is outweighed by the benefits and positives that come from pushing myself to the limit. The pain I endure during these moments is temporary, but the regret of not giving my all and not putting in the required effort would last much longer.

I understand that in order to achieve success and reach my goals, I need to push past my pain threshold, whether it's dealing with lactate threshold, fatigue, injuries, or mental obstacles. I embrace the challenge and remind myself that by pushing through the pain, I am investing in myself as an athlete or competitor. This investment pays off in the long run, making competition easier and allowing me to reap the rewards of my hard work.

Ultimately, I keep my focus on the end goal and the satisfaction that comes from knowing I have given my best effort. This mindset helps me cope with the pain and push through tough moments during workouts and competitions.

What's the best way to speed up metabolism?

Boost metabolism with lean muscle and nutrient-dense foods.

In my opinion, building more lean muscle tissue. Making sure we're providing our body with the adequate Fuel and treating our body like a sports car. So providing with the top quality fuel that we possibly can at doesn't mean we need to cut out all the things we enjoy, but it means making sure majority of our coloring takes coming from nutrient-dense Whole Foods with a high protein intake are, typically set tend to give my clients at least two grams of protein per kilo of body weight. Now, the next thing would be making sure we are. We're keeping our body fat range and a relatively ideal arrangement for the males are typically tend to keep that between 10 to 15% body fat for females a little bit higher. So, between kind of 14 to 19 or 14 to 20 percent body fat because the leaner, we are the better our metabolism. Healthy. Our metabolism is going to be making sure that we're getting good. Really good quality sleep when possible. Okay, so getting enough recovery seeping into right conditions. Then I found really things like cold water immersion, cryotherapy. All that type of stuff has been a big benefit to me and there's there's plenty of research and evidence to back it up as well.

Building more lean muscle tissue, providing our body with adequate fuel from nutrient-dense Whole Foods, keeping body fat in an ideal range for males and females, getting good quality sleep, and using recovery methods like cold water immersion or cryotherapy are all important for building muscle and maintaining a healthy metabolism.

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In my opinion, the best way to speed up metabolism is by building more lean muscle tissue. This involves providing our body with adequate fuel and treating it like a sports car. It's important to prioritize nutrient-dense whole foods and aim for a high protein intake. I typically recommend my clients consume at least two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Maintaining a relatively ideal body fat range is also crucial for optimizing metabolism. For males, this is typically between 10 to 15% body fat, while for females, it's slightly higher, around 14 to 19% or 14 to 20% body fat. The leaner we are, the healthier our metabolism tends to be.

Additionally, getting quality sleep and ensuring proper recovery conditions are essential. I have found that practices like cold water immersion and cryotherapy can also be beneficial for boosting metabolism. There is ample research and evidence supporting the effectiveness of these methods.

By focusing on building lean muscle, providing quality fuel, maintaining an optimal body fat range, prioritizing sleep, and considering additional techniques like cold water immersion, we can help speed up our metabolism.

As an endurance athlete what should I prioritise in the gym? Would heavy lifting build up too much muscle?

Maximize Endurance: Prioritize Strength Training for Athletes

So if you're an endurance athlete, wanting to build up endurance for you given sport, you still need to prioritize strength training. If you're worried about putting on too much muscle than you want to be focusing more. So, on heavy compound movements in the lower rep range for strength. Avoiding too much, hypertrophy rep ranges. We're going to be building too much mass, but the same time, the strong, you can get the more Force you can apply to whether it's the upper body as well. Whatever your chosen sport is strength is super important because you don't have that strength there if you don't have that fourth production. So I think lower rep ranges and say, between 3 to 6 reps on compound movements is still essential for your strength training. And there's still room for hypertrophy in there and higher rep ranges but you just want to avoid going to too high in volume with your strengths up to the point where you're putting on too much mass, but this will also come down to your nutritional intake as well. So to answer the question, yes, have you lifting is still essential for endurance athletes but more in the strength and power rep ranges, More so than the hypertrophy rep ranges. And obviously a lot of you accessory movements are going to be higher reps with lower loads to help with that endurance, for whatever muscles that you need to use mostly human support.

Endurance athletes should still prioritize strength training by focusing on compound movements in the lower rep range (3-6) to build more force production. Higher rep ranges and hypertrophy can still be included but should be avoided if you don’t want to put on too much muscle. Additionally, your nutritional intake will also play a role in how much muscle mass you gain.

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As an endurance athlete, it is still important to prioritize strength training in the gym to build endurance for your sport. If you're concerned about gaining too much muscle mass, focus on heavy compound movements in the lower rep range for strength, rather than hypertrophy rep ranges that promote muscle growth. Building strength is crucial for generating force in your chosen sport, whether it involves the upper or lower body.

For strength training, aim for lower rep ranges, typically between 3 to 6 reps, on compound movements. This will help develop the necessary strength without excessive muscle mass gain. However, there is still room for hypertrophy training and higher rep ranges, but be cautious not to increase the volume to the point where it leads to significant muscle growth. It's important to consider your nutritional intake as well, as it can impact muscle development.

In summary, heavy lifting is still essential for endurance athletes, but focus on strength and power rep ranges rather than hypertrophy rep ranges. Additionally, incorporate higher rep ranges with lower loads for accessory movements to support endurance in specific muscles used in your sport.

What advice would you give for someone who is just beginning to train in their 40s?

Starting Training at 40? Take it Slow & Gradual. Focus on Basics & Progression. Build Strength, Recover, then Increase Intensity.

Hey, Mike, this is a really good question. My best advice in regards to starting training at any age in that matter is to start nice and slow. So the goal is not to come into the gym or start your training program and feel sore, and Go full speed right from day one. The goal is to gradually start progressing. So start from the very Basics. It's very important to understand that strength training is a skill that needs to be practiced. It involves a lot of central nervous system and neurological control as well. So, learning the movement. Turns pick an amount of days that, you know, you can stick to that is sustainable to you and your lifestyle start very minimal and gradually Build It Up, really focusing on the big compound lifts using your accessory and isolation exercises to use, as I guess the icing on the cake and work on the weaker points. And then, as you start to feel more comfortable and as you start to recover better from the training sessions, then you can start to increase your loads that then you can start to ramp up the volume and the training frequency, if that's your goal and a sustainable to you in your life. That's my recommendation. To you, mate.

Start slow and focus on the basics when beginning strength training. Learn the movements and gradually increase your loads as you get more comfortable and recover better.

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When it comes to starting training in your 40s, my advice is to take it nice and slow. The goal is not to push yourself too hard and feel sore right from day one. Instead, focus on gradual progression. Start with the basics and understand that strength training is a skill that needs practice. It involves the central nervous system and neurological control.

Learn the movements and pick a number of days per week that you can stick to consistently. Start with minimal intensity and gradually increase it over time. Focus on compound lifts, which are exercises that work multiple muscle groups, and use accessory and isolation exercises to target weaker areas.

As you become more comfortable and recover better from training sessions, you can gradually increase the weight, volume, and frequency of your workouts. The key is to find a sustainable routine that fits your lifestyle and goals.

Remember, the journey is about progress, not perfection. Take your time, listen to your body, and enjoy the process.

Do you recommend using a massage gun before or after working out?

Experts caution against overusing massage guns during workouts

So when it comes to I guess Mobility self myofascial release stretching and whatnot around training time. I tend to lean towards some more mobility and dynamic movements before training particularly trying to Prime the body and the muscles further movements are about to do. So when I talk about warming up and and doing these dynamic, stretches and movements and activation is typically doing going through the actual range of movement that we're about to do on certain exercises. So for about a squat and a lot of my Walmart will involve squatting because it makes sense. It's central nervous. Starting to fire up, you get you moving through the full range, what you're about to do with load. So when it comes to massage guns, I think they're quite good. I use them a lot of my quads and cars and whatnot tend to use them throughout the sessions if my glute start to get a little tight, but you just want to be careful that you're not over doing it when it comes to the breaking down of the faster and and the tightness around a muscle during the session. Because if you do too much, like damage to that muscle during the session, and you're going to not have as a great performance, when it, Comes to actually Contracting the muscle on the move. And so you're trying to do so massage guns. I think they're great. I would spend more time doing it after the workout or between your sessions while you're sitting on the couch watching TV at home. Whatever it is before your workout to it to an extent. But yeah, use it as you please throughout the session but it's don't do too much of it to the point where you actually starting to feel the effect of it on the actual muscle you're working on.

Mobility and dynamic stretching are important to warm up before a workout. Massage guns are great, but be careful not to overdo it during the workout as it may have an adverse effect on performance.

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When it comes to using a massage gun before or after working out, I recommend focusing on mobility and dynamic movements before training to prime the body and muscles for the upcoming exercises. This involves going through the range of movement that will be used during the workout, such as squats for leg exercises.

Massage guns can be beneficial and I personally use them on my quads and calves during sessions if they start to feel tight. However, it's important not to overdo it and cause excessive breakdown of the fascia and tightness in the muscles during the workout. This can negatively impact performance when contracting the muscles during exercises.

I suggest spending more time using the massage gun after the workout or between sessions, such as while sitting on the couch watching TV at home. Before the workout, you can use it to some extent, but be cautious not to overuse it to the point where it affects the muscle you're working on during the session.

In summary, massage guns can be great tools, but it's important to use them appropriately and avoid excessive use that may impact muscle performance during the workout.

What does 'engaging the core' or 'using the core' mean to you?

Unlocking the Power of Your Core: Simple Cues for Maximum Strength

I think one of the easiest ways to get a client or an athlete to understand how to engage the core breaks. The core in my opinion, is to tell them to brace. Their midsection is if they're about to be whacked in the stomach case, really tight it in belly button, in towards the spine, engage all those muscles around the midsection, this is the easiest way to help them understand how to actually engage the court. Now, I guess what it means is that consisting when we're doing movements such as overhead presses, even pull ups and whatnot, we're actually Really activating the muscles that need to be activated to maintain a correct posture to allow for maximum you know Force production and when we are lifting loads that are from the top down so let's say we're doing a barber back squat by breaks into call. We're making sure that we're not letting the lower back, take too much of the load but in terms of getting someone to understand what it actually means or how to Understand how to brace those muscles. Like I said, simple cues such as being whacked in the stomach. Draw. The belly button in towards the spine, he's a great ways to help a client. Understand how to do this.

The easiest way to get a client or athlete to understand how to engage the core is to tell them to "brace" their midsection as if they were about to be whacked in the stomach. This helps activate the muscles that need to be activated to maintain correct posture and maximize force production.

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To me, engaging the core or using the core means activating and bracing the muscles in the midsection. I often explain it to clients or athletes by telling them to imagine bracing their midsection as if they were about to be hit in the stomach. This involves tightening the muscles around the midsection, pulling the belly button in towards the spine, and creating a strong, stable core.

When we engage the core during movements like overhead presses or pull-ups, we are effectively activating the muscles necessary to maintain proper posture and generate maximum force. It helps us avoid relying too much on the lower back when lifting loads from the top down, such as in a barbell back squat.

In terms of helping someone understand how to engage the core, simple cues like the sensation of being hit in the stomach or drawing the belly button towards the spine can be effective ways to convey the concept and teach proper technique.

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Strength coach, online trainer and host of The Fitness & Lifestyle Podcast

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.

Danny Kennedy