Focus

[webcake]

30-45mins is enough.

For you maybe...

I agree with you that 2hrs is over doing it, especially 5 days a week.

Every workout of mine is over 1hr. Anywhere from 60-90 mins is fine, imo, if your diet is spot on and you are resting suffeciently. That said, 4 workouts a week is my max, i probably do closer to 3 for the most part.

[DK II]

Sorry, if you wo 3 times a week, 60-90 mins is fine. I wo five days per week.

[jpm101]

If lost focus is a problem than you should really just go home. Your only stroking it in that workout, going through the motions. Come back when the desire and motivation hit's you again. Usually the cause of lack of focus is spending too many days a week in a gym. Simply put,too many or too long of a workout(s). Simply put even more, over training. Which in most cases  leads to lack of interest in any workout. At times, some folks have to drag themselves to a gym. Not good. Might consider a week or two off of any training. Come back fresh and stronger than ever.

If you feel that any of the above is not your problem (being the super stud that your are) than find some people to workout with who have your same common interest and goals in training. Working with a training partner, or two, goes a long way to get the desire and training juices going again.

Visualization is  used by some before training. Taking a few minutes before the workout, run you mind through that workout and what you want to accomplish. Actually see yourself lifting for reps and the weights you want to use. And have each rep, set and workout better than the last workout you had. Pl'ers and Olympic lifter do this. As do most other athletes. Track and field  athletes are well known for this pre training and event method.

Meditation will not always affect the task at hand , with regards to any workout. Meditation is not always a matter of focus (or concentration)  but of watching and observing actions. Sometimes with-in, some times around you.  There are also walking or motion meditations, but would doubt of any value to training. Zen can be very complex to some, though the technique (lots of ways to do this) is rather simple. TM can hold value for most people. Does not require much discipline and can be affected in the long run. Some people equate straining the mind and body when trying to focus. Not true. No strain, just a flow of thought and energy.

Example of Meditation: I have been into forms of meditation since college. Somewhat familiar with a Yoga center in North County San Deigo, where I learned a few things. Using a simple mantra, with the in and out breath, one can slow the breathing to 3 to 5 breaths a minute. Also the heart beat to around  the same. They call it the Watching the Breath method.  Cool and all that, but you do not have to be any Yogi master to leaned this method. And it will not help with any focus needed for working out. Good Luck.

[Montague]

I work out 5 daya a week usually around 2 hours, taking the weekends off

...i have very bad elbows so it takes me at least 15 mins to warm up my tri's and elbows. before i even start my regular routeine.

Your elbow problems may stem from overtraining.
5 days/week is quite a bit.
2 hrs./workout is quite a bit.
Together they = a shit-load.

You mentioned in another thread that you don’t want to take time off, but that may be exactly what you need right now simply because that’s the only way you’ll heal up before your condition becomes chronic.

After reading your posts here you certainly seem to have a lot of heart, love, and determination for training. I sincerely would like to see you continue it, but long-term continuation may necessitate a short-term absence.

[gymrat01]

montauge, your assumptions are correct, i have a lot of passion for this shit and take it seriously. Maybe i do need a week or two off, i'll take that into consideration.

[DK II]

I take 4-8 weeks off lifting every year, max 2 weeks at a time. The reason is my job, but i take it as a chance to heal up and regain motivation.

[Montague]

montauge, your assumptions are correct, i have a lot of passion for this shit and take it seriously. Maybe i do need a week or two off, i'll take that into consideration.

If you do go that route (and I hope you do) make sure to do some rehab type things during the interim:

Wrist and forearm stretches,
Anti-inflammatories – oral or topical,
Ice…
Cross-friction massage...
All the usual stuff.

Good luck.

[Emmortal]

If you do go that route (and I hope you do) make sure to do some rehab type things during the interim:

Wrist and forearm stretches,
Anti-inflammatories – oral or topical,
Ice…
Cross-friction massage...
All the usual stuff.

Good luck.

Also doing a lot of stretching during your time out can be very good as well.  Instead of lifting just stretch for the amount of time you would be lifting.  It can be a great work out in and of itself.

[Montague]

Very few people stretch as much and as often as they should – healthy or not - which is a shame really, because it is so beneficial.

We have a chiropractor in our family.
My girlfriend is a physical therapist, and a few of my friends are PTA’s + one DPT.
They all say the same thing I mentioned above.

Rehab is the worst.
Most folks who suffer some type of physical trauma will follow the therapist's or Doctor's program & guidelines until rehab is completed.
Then they become less (if at all) conscious about things like stretching, exercising, and moving the correct way. Many of them end up right back where they started.

But I guess in one respect that's good.
My GF & buddies all get a lot of "repeat business" because of it.

[DK II]

Also doing a lot of stretching during your time out can be very good as well.  Instead of lifting just stretch for the amount of time you would be lifting.  It can be a great work out in and of itself.

good advice.

i stretch after every WO.

[gymrat01]

Yeah, I stretch before I wourkout, and after each set just to lossen up my muscles, and try to get some seperation. I also stretch after i WO. Also stretch when i wake up. I dont think that you can stretch too much.

[DK II]

Yeah, I stretch before I wourkout, and after each set just to lossen up my muscles, and try to get some seperation. I also stretch after i WO. Also stretch when i wake up. I dont think that you can stretch too much.

Stretching before WO is a bad idea though. Injuries waiting to happen.

[gymrat01]

I didnt know that , I just thought that it wouls get me warmed up before i hit the heavy shit, but i do warm-up sets as well.

[Montague]

There’s some debate over stretching pre-workout.
I believe several trials have shown that muscle output is a bit lower when one stretches beforehand.
Many people, like Kong, believe it invites injuries, which may very well be the case with certain muscle groups, in addition to the degree to which you stretch.

Warming up is often agreed upon as the best preparation for a workout.
Riding a stationary bike and / or walking on a treadmill for a few minutes work well for me.
After raising my body temperature, I then move on to my warm up sets with the weights.
 
During the winter months – or in the summer when I have the AC on in my truck – I spend a bit more time warming up the body.

[jpm101]

If your in a room with a hundred different economize, you will get a hundred different theory's about economy and what is best. The same holds true with sport trainers, with regards to stretching and warm-ups. Have been to a few seminars. Every speaker has his (or hers) own personal slant on workouts, diet, etc. All their charts, graphs, white papers, etc differ slightly or big time. If stretching works well for you, than do it. But not to the extreme that it becomes more of any exercise it's self. And halt before that full stretch becomes more of an over extension of the muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints. That can happen way to much for some.

If I am doing leg work than usually 100, or so, Hindu squats does it for me. At times adding light Sissy squats into the mix. SS are an excellent stretch/warm-up movement. But one must get use to it slowly at first. Ham stretches with just holding the hands behind the back, keeping the back ram rod straight. And bend from the waist. Should feel it more  in the ham's, rather that the lower back it's self.

Upper body usually starts with just hanging from a chinning bar to let the shoulders, back, spine, etc stretch out with the help of gravity. 60 to 90 seconds..rest a bit and than back to the hang stretches.There is a light combo that works for me also. Using 2 light DB's, start with straight arm pullovers. Bring the DB's back up overhead, and than  do DB flys.  Return to the straight arm pullover again, etc, etc, etc.. Alternate these pullovers/flys for 20 to 30 full stretch rep sets. Really primes up the upper body for the regular workout to come. Good Luck.

[gymrat01]

whenever i work my back or upperbody, i alway hang from a chin bar for a while to get a good stretch.

[webcake]

Yeah, I stretch before I wourkout, and after each set just to lossen up my muscles, and try to get some seperation. I also stretch after i WO. Also stretch when i wake up. I dont think that you can stretch too much.

Do yourself a big favour, stop stretching in the morning and before a workout. Stretching a cold muscle is a BAD idea.

The last few months or so, i have been stretching heaps. Ive noticed some good results from doing so. I feel more mobile, less pain in muscle/joints and DOMS has decreased a lot.

I stretch a lot in between sets and after a workout. I love it. I think a good idea is to make stretching a part of your workout. Most people just add stretching as an extra thing to do at the end, and only make a token effort to stretch. Do stretcghing as you would weight training. Sets and "reps" e.g 3 sets of 30secs or whatever. You will see the benefits from it too..

[gymrat01]

I'm gonna stop stretching before and just do my warm-ups. As I stated before i do stretch between sets, and i love it also. The only reason that i stretch when i get up in the morning is to loosen up, b/c when i wake up after a day of high intensity training i get really stiff. But if it is a bad thing to do, i will cut it out.

[buffbong]

i agree you are probally doing a bit to much. 4-5 days a week is fine but i would keep the length to 1hour to 115. taking a week after after 12 weeks or so can help alot to rest achy joints and a general rest on the mind. also one area no one mentioned was changing up routine from time to time. if your stuck at 315 on chest for five weeks for 4 reps its going to be hard to focus if your stuck in a plateou. change exersizes or rep ranges. i train at home so i have the pleasure of blasting some hard rock or metal when i train.

[DroppingPlates]

I had the same problem before when I was training in commercial gyms with loud music, woman, video screens, talking & staring people and so on... Since a year of 2 I workout in a old school weightlifting club and I must say: I'm loving it! 

[gymrat01]

Heavy metal always gets me going. Put on some soulfly and im good to go. I change my routeine everytime i WO. Even if it is just changing the order of my usual, but i usually just sub a few different exercises each time.