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When competing in powerlifting, strongman, or Olympic weightlifting, the way you approach your lighter sets can have a significant impact on your performance when it really counts. Many lifters make the mistake of not utilizing intense focus on lighter sets. But these reps are crucial opportunities to refine technique, build consistency, and prepare mentally for heavy lifts.
Light Training Days Are Not Throwaway Days
Lighter training with lifts that closely resemble your main lifts should be executed with the same precision, intensity, and mental focus as your heaviest lifts. Approach them as if you were taking your third attempt in competition or stepping up for a crucial event in a strongman meet. These reps are not just about moving weight, they are rehearsals for success under pressure.
Building Automatic Responses
The way you train in lighter sessions conditions your body and mind for when the weight is heavy. If you consistently execute each rep of the lifts with full intent, you’re training technique and mindset. This will allow a more automatic response when the stakes are high. Think of it as role-playing. The more you practice the right approach, the more instinctive it becomes. When it’s time to compete, you won’t have to overthink. You’ll simply execute.
Focus on Every Rep
It’s easy to let your mind wander when the weight is light, but this is exactly when your focus matters most. Every repetition should be performed with complete engagement. Throughout the duration of each rep train yourself to be fully present, reinforcing the same cues, aggression, and execution you’ll need on the platform or competition floor.
The Path to Optimal Performance
The more repetitions you perform with maximum intent, the greater your likelihood of peak performance when it truly counts. Treat every repetition, regardless of load, with respect, discipline and execution. Your future self, standing on the competition platform, will thank you for it.
Next time you walk up to a weight that is light, take it seriously. Deliberate practice is the source of success.