Fortis After Hours Podcast
Welcome to the Fortis After Hours Podcast!
Join Nate and Liz as they dive into unfiltered conversations about fitness, mental health, relationships, powerlifting, and everything in between. From navigating life as a married couple running a business together, to chasing PRs and personal growth outside of the gym, no topic is off-limits.
Expect honest insights, practical advice, and plenty of healthy banter as we redefine what strong really means in and out of the gym.
Fortis After Hours Podcast
THREE | Finding Flow State
Have you ever experienced that magical moment when everything just clicks? When your body seems to operate on autopilot, performing at levels beyond what you thought possible? That elusive mental state often called "flow state" or "being in the zone" is exactly what we explore in this episode.
Fresh off competing at the Stronger Things Showdown, Liz shares her remarkable experience of entering a flow state during deadlifts, a first in her 16+ meet career. "I knew without a shadow of a doubt, whatever was on that bar, I was going to deadlift it," she explains, describing the peculiar yet powerful sensation of complete trust in her abilities. This mental breakthrough helped her secure an impressive 981-pound total while going 8 for 9 on lifts and setting multiple state records.
Our conversation delves into what creates these peak performance moments and how to cultivate them in your own training. We break down the simple yet profound concept of "don't think, just do" – the ability to silence your analytical mind and let your trained body take over. As we discuss, we find this isn't something you can fake; it requires technical mastery, consistent practice, and developing unshakeable trust in your preparation and training.
Whether you're a competitive athlete or simply someone who wants to perform better in your chosen activities, this episode offers practical insights on developing pre-performance rituals, creating consistent setups, and building the foundation necessary to access your own flow state. The best part? This mental skill isn't reserved for elite athletes – it's available to anyone willing to put in the deliberate practice.
Ready to unlock a new level of performance by learning when to stop thinking and just do? Listen now, and discover how to get out of your own way and tap into the incredible potential your body already possesses.
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HOSTED BY
@lizribaudo_fortis
@nateribaudo_fortis
What's going on, you guys? Welcome to another episode of the Fortis After Hours podcast. I'm your co-host, nate, joined by my wife, liz hey, and we have another awesome episode planned for you guys today.
Speaker 2:Surprise, surprise.
Speaker 1:Oh yes, maybe a surprise that we did an episode this week. Sorry about that last week, but we were busy last week at a competition all day Saturday and then kind of catching up on work and things on Sunday, so we were unable to record. But we're back and this week we're going to be rolling through kind of a little bit of a recap of the competition. I know some people like that. Some people, I think, skip these episodes. That's okay, because if you're already here, I'm actually going to title it something else so that you don't know.
Speaker 2:But that's not all we're talking about, though.
Speaker 1:Exactly it's, so that you don't know. But that's not all we're talking about, though. Exactly it's not, and then you're stuck. I guess you can skip along, but anyways, yeah. So we're going to talk about kind of the concept of don't think, kind of simple, but we'll dive into it later, but I think it can be beneficial to almost every single human being, especially people that engage in any kind of sporting activity, where you need to kind of have that instinct and ability to turn everything off and just go. So we're going to discuss that today, but first, like I said, we're going to just kind of talk about the meet this past weekend so it was called the Bar Stronger Things. I was going to say Stranger Things, the Bar Stronger Things Showdown. It was kind of like a play off the TV show Stranger Things.
Speaker 2:Which is probably why you were going to say Stranger Things, yeah.
Speaker 1:Which quick little sidebar on that. I really believe that the only good season of Stranger Things was one. What about you?
Speaker 2:I honestly don't remember them.
Speaker 1:I couldn't tell you what happened in what season, or what seasons.
Speaker 2:I've seen All right.
Speaker 1:Well, season one, I'll just talk to myself. Then Season one was, I think, really good. Season two is, and then I feel like it just got really not good. That's my opinion, I don't know. I know a lot of Season two is, eh, and then I feel like it just got really not good. That's my opinion, I don't know. I know a lot of people love that show, but I think they really missed the ball after seasons one and two. But the first two seasons are great. If you've never seen them, I think they're on Netflix and I think they're coming out with a finale season soon. I will not be watching that. I. I got football to watch fantasy football this year.
Speaker 2:Oh boy, yep, All the fantasy football.
Speaker 1:Yeah, someone asked me if you wanted to do a fantasy football team. What would actually be your response to that?
Speaker 2:No is the answer.
Speaker 1:I told them no, but I was like, I mean, you could ask.
Speaker 2:The answer is no, you could ask her.
Speaker 1:Okay, anyway. So yeah, it was called the Stronger Things Showdown and it was a one day, one platform meet. Unusual because I feel like everything's two day, two platform, 10 platforms, uh, but I just, you've been to a lot of like bigger meets, yeah, and I do I have to say?
Speaker 2:I just do like just the one singular platform, all the attention one day a little bit shorter too, because it was there was, I think, 40 30, I think it was like 37 people ended up doing it, which, if you know or don't know um meets usually cap at like 60 yeah, like 50 or 60 yeah and then that's a four flight full day of lifting, although some meets are now going to sessions where they have morning session and afternoon session anyways this is short.
Speaker 1:It was a little bit of a smaller meet which honestly was really nice. I was going to say it was super appreciated, at least on our end. I enjoyed one, that it was just a little bit shorter. Two, all the attention is on the lifters all at once. That's something I don't like about the two-platform thing. And then also I will say they did a really good job with the production of the meat.
Speaker 1:They had a lot of cool things going on. Nothing was too distracting, except for the fire. I'm not going to lie. There's a couple times when I'm walking by and I'm like, oh my God, I'm like this fire better not come at me, I'm going to knock it over. But it never did. So we're good, good to go. But it was like real fire, so you could like feel it Like a couple of times I was like filming, I was like okay.
Speaker 2:I didn't get that close to it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but either way, yeah, the production was real good and we had seven people competing, including Liz.
Speaker 2:We did.
Speaker 1:And they all did great. Yeah, everybody did really good.
Speaker 2:It was overall a really good day. We it was really good. It was overall a really good day. We had seven all seven ladies, so we were all in the same flight together, which made it really fun. Everyone was together, everyone warmed up together. Well, like two racks, because seven is too many people for one, but anyways, we all warmed up together, we all lifted together. It was just like a lot of fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was a good time and we did have some people come out and help us, which is always really appreciated. So, for those of you that came out of help, we really appreciate that because that makes my job a lot easier.
Speaker 2:Yes, especially when I'm lifting too. I mean it always helps just having extra hands that's always nice when we have multiple people lifting, like to either help out in the warm-up room or run and get stuff if someone needs something, or just whatever people might need assistance for, but especially when I'm lifting, though, or the other way around, if you're lifting and I'm coaching or whatever yeah, definitely gives us an extra hand, which is very nice it's nice to have everybody there um one.
Speaker 1:It's kind of like a force multiplier because, like, I can be doing like 80 different things at once because I have all One. It's kind of like a force multiplier because I can be doing like 80 different things at once because I have all the help.
Speaker 2:Plus it's cool like built-in cheerleaders for everyone from our Fortis team. That's what I was going to say.
Speaker 1:It's also just really cool to see everybody support each other, so that's cool as well. And then it also just helps everything run smoothly. Specifically in the warm room it can get a little chaotic that's just kind of nature of the beast. But it's nice when you have a plan and help to execute the plan, because it makes it run a lot smoother. So if you came to help out, thank you so much. If you came out to support, also, thank you so much. We saw all you guys and we appreciate the support, because without that it's kind of boring.
Speaker 2:It's way more boring.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we do appreciate the help and support tremendously and it's just fun to see people in the crowd wearing Fortis shirts and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:It's pretty cool.
Speaker 1:I will say that I saw one couple. They came out, john and Tia, and then they were wearing matching shirts from our latest drop the purple one, which is highly coveted, now the lavender one. It's a good color.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but hold on. So I was like watching or I saw them and I kind of you know whatever, sit, wave head, nod, something, and then, like I was just kind of like surveying the crowd, I don't know like looking around the crowd, and then like I saw someone Hold on. This is funny. I saw someone else like wearing that like same color shirt, so I was like, oh, someone else has it and I'm just like staring at them for like a while. Nope, I don't know that person and I just looked away and it was just like the same color shirt not the same shirt.
Speaker 1:No okay it was definitely a random person, perfect. I was like all right well never mind, that's perfect, you know I like to acknowledge people for coming out supporting, so you know, but anyways, yeah, so we appreciate that. Um, and then, as far as our lifters, yeah, like I said, like everyone did a really good job.
Speaker 1:We had the first three slots secured first, second and third place for the women's drug testing side um, for like the overall uh which is pretty cool to do, I would say kind of a clean sweep of the podium there uh so that's pretty cool. Um, we had Coach Liz leading the way she did a SPD day for her meet coming up or for training for her meet coming up in whatever two weeks now.
Speaker 2:Three weeks, three weeks, three weeks.
Speaker 1:And how do you think you did, and how do?
Speaker 2:you think you did Well. I actually had fun, which was kind of the whole goal of this. So I'm sure if you've been listening to the podcast for a while, you've heard the story of my life and or my brain and or my meats for the last lots of years. But specifically last year it kind of like I don't even know rock bottom. I guess we found it. Um, so this year my life and or brain or whatever it's gotten a little bit back on track. So I decided it's been essentially a year since I competed and I thought it might be good to kind of get back on the platform again with like a little different brain situation happening. Before I had to go step on the platform at Surge. If you don't know, I did this same Surge meet the one I'm doing up in Chicago in September two years ago, same surge meet the one I'm doing up in chicago in september two years ago, and it was kind of like the beginning of the downfall, of hitting rock bottom. I feel like two years ago.
Speaker 2:Like yeah, I feel like some of the other ones weren't really great. But then I feel like that one really was like the beginning of like the tumbling, like I kind of thought that was like the bottom and then it like kind of got worse the next year. So I felt like it was probably good to kind of get back on the platform, because I'm sure there will be some nerves and anticipation like leading into that meet um, just in general, to the same spot to beat it yes, I want some redemption from that got it
Speaker 2:from where it started. But I figured it would probably be smart since there was a local meet, um, and it all lined up like perfectly with my training, that I could just go and do essentially a heavy spd day, um, a few weeks out from the meet. I was supposed to do heavy singles that week in training. Anyways, it was leading into a deload week the following week. So like everything kind of perfectly lined up with training, so we decided to go in and just do that with a very specific numbers in mind not trying which is honestly hard for both of us because, like only on my deadlift
Speaker 2:yeah, well maybe for you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was harder for you once I realized, like, how close we were to a thousand. I was like, oh, like and I'm like pretty sure we could have hit it, so like. But then I had to tell myself I'm like nope, nope, that's not part of the plan that's one of my.
Speaker 2:So I know I've said before but some of my, my goals for this surge meet in september is one a little bit of redemption, so I just want to like show up, perform well and have fun. That's kind of like first and foremost. Second is to beat my numbers from the surge meet I did two years ago.
Speaker 2:And then thirdly, thirdly, whatever would be to total yeah to total a thousand pounds, and this meat, the Stronger Things Showdown that I just did I totaled 981. So it's like 10 kilos away basically. So we're definitely encroaching on that territory of being able to give a little extra push and then, hopefully, with a nice little peek, and taper into the meat.
Speaker 2:Um, if everything goes kind of according to plan and I'm able to execute it again, um, I think that thousand pounds is a real possibility which is funny because when I set that goal, whenever I decided I was doing this meet and said those were my goals, I want to say this was like back in march, when they like I think it's like march ish time frame, maybe april, I don't know it was like in the spring sometime when they started this and I had those as my goals, like from the beginning, like they have not changed, um, but I definitely thought the thousand pounds was like a pretty big stretch to get back to.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I remember that now I feel like it's actually like somewhat a realistic possibility yeah which is cool yeah um, yeah, um yeah, so yeah, that's, I think I think, well, I think one of the biggest things is that is uh, coming together this year is like my brain well, yeah, but uh, but also, like in the coaching aspect, something that I have gotten together in my brain is that for a long time, like I realized how strong liz was pretty early on, she can tell you that, um, yeah, but she is just realizing that like now it seems. So that's like, uh, we've been together for 10 years, so yeah, anyways. Um, and I think like early on I, because I knew she was like capable of so much, I'm like, oh yeah, like we could do this, we could do this, we could do that, and like I think, maybe unintentionally, I put like super high expectations and then you already do that to yourself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it probably wasn't a great combo.
Speaker 1:I don't think I knew exactly that level of like expectations that you would put on yourself. Anyways, yeah and now. But then after a while I just well, no. Then you know, you kind of had this whatever thing start like 2023, when you're really like anti, like pretty much done with powerlifting, and I was like, okay, I just need to like back off a little bit. And I did that. And then I realized that, like, you kind of already take care of the expectations for yourself, so I just need to make sure that your body is strong enough and ready to meet those expectations that you set up for yourself.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Because I think before a big thing was, I was like I said like maybe like putting extra two extra expectations, maybe like putting extra two extra expect expectations and then two. Something we've learned training wise is liz is very strong every single day. Uh, so we just need to make sure that her body is ready to perform on a specific day. Um, and, of course, we still got to do work to make sure she get there. Gets there, but at this level and just her age like, and training age, like real age and training age. It is very specific things that we need to have her do to get to that, and I think we're really together dialing in on exactly what those things are to make sure you're at your peak strength on a given day yeah, and I feel like that's probably true to be said for a lot of people that there are things that like very specific things for a lot of people that they could do.
Speaker 2:And I would just say, the longer that you're with your coach, I mean obviously we're together, which so it's like kind of different but the longer you're with your coach, the more you trust and communicate and talk to your coach about like literally as much as you possibly can going on in your life. Um, like, the better they're they will be able to, like help prepare you for the platform or give you tips and things to work around things or alter your programming or alter anything, but just going to throw that out there.
Speaker 1:The more you communicate, the longer that time is, the better the coaching relationship is going to be.
Speaker 2:Because, like the first meet that you do with someone, like as a coach, like I'm not saying it's not going to go well, but, like your coach isn't going to necessarily know little every nuance of you and so the longer that they coach you, the more of the little nuances they can learn and really like hone in exactly what?
Speaker 1:just yeah, the more precise they can be as a coach, and that's just kind of how. That's just kind of how things work, is just yeah, it was just a reminder.
Speaker 1:Just a reminder I was going to say like, the closer and the more communication you can be like direct communication with your clients and or like, if you're a client with your coach, letting them know where things are at that's just going to allow them to produce a better program for you. Because, remember, we're writing these programs with the information that you give us right. So, like it's just kind of you know if we see this. But then it's like, oh well, really this felt like this, but I just didn't say that. It's like okay, like, so you know, giving us details and making sure that we're dialed in is going to make sure that you get the best product and the best possible outcome for your specific meat day.
Speaker 2:Yes, so anyways, back to how the meat actually went, because that's sort of where I was going with all of that on my little tangent there, and then a second tangent that I went on On my little tangent there, and then a second tangent that I went on, but so I totaled 981 pounds. I went eight for nine, which both of these were like the best that I've done in a really long time. Honestly, going eight for nine is probably like one of the first, I would say handful of times that that's ever probably happened. I don't know.
Speaker 1:I feel like I was going eight for nine.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would need to go back and look. I feel like I'm usually pretty good for 7, for 9 or less, especially lately. You sound like.
Speaker 1:Gary, that's what he says. I just need 6 lists for good.
Speaker 2:But I want to start doing better, so I was excited that I went 8 for 9. However, that third bench still eludes me. Per the usual. So we went three for three on squats ended with 358. Two for three on bench per the usual, ending with 193. But maybe we change some things afterwards. Learn some things from the meet, I don't know Stay tuned. Tweaks to bench plus training.
Speaker 1:We'll see. We'll see. Yeah, we'll find out.
Speaker 2:Tweaks to bench plus training. We'll see. We'll see this week, yeah, we'll find out. And then so I benched 193, which was a PLU state record.
Speaker 1:There you go. And we had some other people's hit state records as well, correct? Yes, we had three other lifters hit state records.
Speaker 2:Who were there? Rachel and Kelsey, I think, hit squat, bench, deadlift and total state record for their age and weight class. And then Skyla got the squat and total for her weight class, the total. The only one that matters. Yes.
Speaker 1:Nice, very cool, very cool, yes, so state record.
Speaker 2:Yes For bench at 193. Yes, so state record. Yes, for a bench at 193. And then deadlift. I ended with 429, which is also a state record, and it was the most that I've deadlifted in a meet since March of 2022. I had been very stuck at this like 424 range. I think I chipped it at one meet so it was like 425 because that was a state record. So I've pulled 424 at a good chunk of my last few meets that I did.
Speaker 1:And you pulled that a couple times at the gym, but then something else has happened, or whatever.
Speaker 2:Well, usually my brain happened and then the beginning of the meet was terrible, so then I could not like execute. Yeah, basically um, and then I hurt my back yeah, for one of the meets. I hurt my back, so that ended up being really bad.
Speaker 1:And then I don't know it was anyways a whole situation so, anyways, that was a 429.
Speaker 2:but what was really cool that day, which I could not ever tell you, the last time I've ever had this feeling, if I've ever had this feeling I knew like, basically without a shadow of a doubt, whatever was on that bar, I was going to deadlift it that day, and I've never really had that feeling.
Speaker 1:And that right there is the topic of the podcast In training, in a meet like literally I have never felt that way.
Speaker 2:The plan was the 429 attempt, so that was what we stuck with because that was one, like I said, I hadn't deadlifted more than the 424. So that was the next jump, so like that was kind of good, just to just to get that. And then also it just kind of lines up everything for the rest of prep, without trying to like overshoot like crazy for that day, but basically whatever was on the bar I was going to deadlift it so and like I had really no doubt that it was going to happen, yeah and you could tell that I've never like.
Speaker 2:That was the weirdest feeling yeah my brain didn't really know what that was.
Speaker 1:You're locked in. You're in the zone, yeah I guess you could uh you could tell watching you, which was really cool. I told I was talking to you about that the other day just because, like I don't know, like you said, like I I don't know, I'm not sure really, if I've ever seen you like that like you're. I've seen you like that a couple times at the gym, but I think we know like it's a little easier, I think, for you relatively to like train.
Speaker 2:But I still don't think that. I've ever felt like that, that like, whatever, like I knew like there would be some days where I'd be like, oh, I know, I'm going to lift this, like whatever it is.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But like it was just different Cause, I was like I don't care what he puts on the bar, I'm just going to go pick it up and lift it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I don't know yeah no, you're in the zone.
Speaker 1:Apparently, you're in the don't think zone and yeah, that's kind of what I wanted to talk about today. Was that ability? We'll call it just like being in the zone, or being kind of like in that flow state In the moment Yep, in the moment. That flow state in the moment, yep, in the moment. Flow state in the zone, whatever you want to call it but uh, we all know what that is.
Speaker 1:Now, some of you may not have experienced that yet in your life, um, but the first time I had, if you've watched yeah, if you've watched any type of sporting event or any type of like high skill event.
Speaker 1:So if you don't want to call it a sport, but like something that requires a high amount of skill at a high level, you're gonna see people kind of be in that like zone and that flow state whatever you want to call it where they're not really there, but they're there, you know, like they're just like somewhere else, and I think that that's a thing that is not unique to powerlifting and that is like found, like I said, kind of in like top skill, top levels of all different types of things, whether it's like skilled athlete, even like a skilled worker, like if someone is like a your work with your hands or maybe do like photography, like things like this like there's just like a certain, a certain level of like focus, that like when you can tap into and the key is you can't tap into it at all times, but when you can tap into it, like Liz said, it feels like nothing can go wrong and like it's like your body is so focused and like your energy is so focused on what you're doing that you can do, truly like superhuman type things and, like I said, I don't think that this is by any means, uh, exclusive to powerlifting, um, but you know, I would say for the purpose of our podcast, like just talking about physical endeavors since this is kind of like a fitness podcast.
Speaker 1:Um the better that you can get at something, um the more freedom you're going to experience when you're in that flow state.
Speaker 2:So yeah, well, I think some of it is just also like a weird, like almost like subconscious trust in yourself and what you're doing, that you just like deep down, like just know that, like what you're doing is what you're supposed to be doing and you know how to do what you're going to do, and like you've trusted essentially the process as well as yourself to get you to, uh, like that point in where you are yeah, and I think like there's I don't know.
Speaker 1:I think there's something to be said for being able to, like you said, like trust your body, trust your mind, trust all of your training. Yeah, to where there's like nothing, like you're only just focusing on the task at hand. You're not thinking about anything else.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah because I've like done, obviously, a lot of meets at this point. I was trying to count. I think it's been like 16 or 17, because I was looking at that.
Speaker 2:The other day I was looking at my open powerlifting when they pulled this one or when this one got loaded into it, yeah, and I want to say there's like 16 or 17. If you didn't know, when you're listening to this, there's a website called Open Powerlifting that logs and tracks every powerlifting, meet every powerlifter, and you can just search your name and you can find all of your results.
Speaker 2:Sometimes it might be under two different names, if you have two different names and then you have to get them combined. But that's okay, mine is also separate. Again, I have a second one. I gotta work on that, um, anyway. So I was looking at open power lifting and, oh, I forgot where I was going with this, though, nice I've done 16, 17 meets is where I was going, and then something I don't know what you're talking about.
Speaker 2:Oh, I think. Basically, I think my point was like there's every other meet and literally every other lift. I have been like extremely nervous for them.
Speaker 1:Like before I lift.
Speaker 2:I mean not like I guess extremely might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but like definitely first attempts were always extremely nerve wracking for me, just because my brain and then I don't know lately, some of all of them have been. But even like this past Saturday, like I wouldn't say I like got into this like weird state of mind until I found deadlifts for some reason.
Speaker 2:Until like we got to deadlifts state of mind until I found deadlifts for some reason, or until, like, we got to deadlifts. Um. So I would say like someone's like, oh cool, like I want to do that for a meet. Like I don't even think I could really tell you how it happened, um, because I wasn't like trying to go to whatever my brain went, to flow state, whatever you want to call it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so like I don't even know that I could necessarily tell someone like how to do that well, I think, see and that's the thing is that I think, yes, I think one it can just happen like naturally, like you're saying. I think like you can also cue it to happen using like certain songs or certain thoughts or certain emotions, things like this. But I think and this is what I kind of wanted to talk about mainly is pretty simple. But in order to get to that state, you have to have like mastery of whatever you're trying to do. So there's, of course, different levels and I'm not saying like like I'm not, there's no like numerical thing, I'm not associating any like I'm not, there's no like numerical thing, I'm not associating any like numbers with this. But you do have to have like technical mastery of the tasks you're going to do to be able to get into that state, because you need to get to a situation.
Speaker 2:Like you don't have to be thinking about your cues.
Speaker 1:You're literally not thinking about anything other than like Liz said she's like the only thought that was going through my brain. The only thought that was going through my brain.
Speaker 2:No, you weren't even thinking about that all you thought was whatever goes on the bar, I'm lifting it up so like, yeah, I mean, but yes, but my point is is like it's not like you're like okay, I gotta like root my feet.
Speaker 1:I gotta like get my groups in.
Speaker 2:I gotta like you, literally were just like go, like whenever they say go, go and well, and I, because like it's funny, like I'll I watch the videos, and um was funny. Someone asked me I can't remember who it was Someone I was training. They were like, oh, you set up differently at meets than you do in training. And I was like, no, I don't.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And they're like no, you didn't pull on the bar like you do, so they're like whatever, I post all my stuff and I was like no, I promise you, they are exactly the same yeah and I pulled up videos and they are exactly the same every single one, like all three of my attempts at the meet all of my like really all of my lifts at the gym.
Speaker 2:They all start out the same exact way, and I think by doing that in training also carries over to well, yes, I'm, I guess, I don't think I know it carries over to the platform to then be able to better go into that zone of just lifting, because I did not have to think at all, I just set up exactly the same every time. I have a little routine of breathing and hands and whatever I do every time, and it is literally every time. So then you just do that and then your body like knows what to do. If you are kind of like you were saying, though, if you are still like newer to lifting and you're not like 100% confident on your form and you still have to cue yourself when you're lifting, you might not be able to go to this like just go, which is okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's fine, and that's that's what.
Speaker 2:Like I said, I've been doing this, 16 meets 17 meets, and this is the first time I've ever, ever felt that and and, yeah, I I think that it's a combination of.
Speaker 1:It's a combination of skill, um, and like mastery of skill, and then also the ability to go into that fight or flight, which some people can do easier than others. Some people are in constantly and they don't realize it, some people have never experienced that before. But it all starts with something that we all can do is to really focus in, like Liz said, on every session, treating every rep uh, like it is your top set, and that's something I struggle with. Um, I'm not perfect at it. Liz is pretty perfect, I'm not gonna lie. She's pretty good at it, um, but you know, for me that's something that, like I got to work on for sure is to like keep everything locked in, make sure that I'm focusing on every rep that I do, and then when I do do that, I have very good workout sessions and generally I perform pretty well on me day because I can get into at least a fight or flight state, like on demand.
Speaker 1:Now, there are some times when I'm like, like Liz said, kind of in a flow state, like in my last meet, the only one that I was actually like in a kind of like flow state for was my squats. I didn't know like I knew what was going on. But I really just didn't know what was going on, but I knew I was going to get all the squats, like I just knew it was going to happen. Um, I had like people talking to me, like other competitors I had like you and cadran and gary like talking to me. I'm just like I don't, like I just I knew what I was gonna go do and I just did it bench and deadlift. That was more. I was more present for those because I had I'd already done those lifts that's funny, mine was the opposite yeah, I just needed those to, uh, secure my total.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I was like the most clear state of that was definitely then. So, yeah, so if you're listening to this, you're like how do I get to that? So, number one, make sure that you are. Make sure you are practicing exactly how you want to compete and taking your training sessions seriously, you know. So, like if you want, like what we're talking about is a pretty advanced state of mind, so like if you want to become that type of lifter, then, like you do need to take those training sessions seriously.
Speaker 2:It was honestly really cool. Like I wish I could make myself do this all the time. I mean, I understand that's not realistic, I understand that it's definitely, but it was a really cool feeling.
Speaker 1:What Liz is describing in the kind of flow state that she's talking about, is definitely in combination with adrenaline, which which you do not have unlimited taps trust me I've tried.
Speaker 1:It doesn't work, but, um, but you can definitely like, uh, I think, like I said, I think you can cue yourself to get in that zone with different like songs, things like this, um, but if you're listening, how do I do this?
Speaker 1:Like I said, start, start making sure all those reps look perfect and that you feel comfortable with your cues and what you're doing. I think the second thing is making sure you are like focused before your reps. So, you know, I mean Mila's on a gym and we train in the same gym, so obviously people talk to us, right, uh, but like, right now, we've kind of like developed a system where it's like, you know, once we're ready to hit a lift, we either, you know, put the headphones in or, uh, you know it'd be like, hey, just give me one second. So that way you don't really need a ton of time, but you do need to be focused when you're doing whatever you're doing. And that's something that I think sometimes, like people overlook is you know they're hanging out with friends, which is awesome, like, of course, like we like hanging out and talking to people, of course, but when it's time to lift, got to lock in and got to get you know your body ready to lift that weight.
Speaker 2:So I have like there's like different cues for me. Like I can be like talking and whatever for squats as soon as I put my hands on the bar, like whatever for squats as soon as I put my hands on the bar, like if anyone like watches me I mean I do this every time but like I stand there with my hands on the bar for a second and take a couple breaths before I even like pull myself under. That is me like focusing on, like yeah what I'm doing bench.
Speaker 2:I sit down on the bench and I kind of sit there for a second same thing um deadlifts. I do stand there also like I set my feet and then I kind of like stand there and like breathe for a couple seconds I was just gonna say it's very specific to what I do, but that's like, even if I'm like talking or whatever else, like warming up, I will do that to like make sure I'm very present in the moment for my warmups too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I was just going to say I think like the last thing kind of is, uh, take a deep breath. Like it seems silly, but that was actually something imparted uh to me by, uh my friend and a guy that coached me in Olympic weightlifting, tyler, and at the time I was like pretty young and just didn't want to hear it, but he's like you should always take a breath before you like hit your like a deep breath before you like hit your weight. And this is Olympic lifting, which is, and the whole sport is like flow state, to be honest, like that you got to really be in like a state of trance type situation to hit those things because the weights are flying over your head.
Speaker 1:You got to catch it at the right time, a lot of timing.
Speaker 2:Couldn't be me.
Speaker 1:And he'd always tell me he's like yeah, you just got to take a deep breath. I'm like what? I'm like what? Like we're lifting weights and now squats it's because I tell you yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1:Yeah and I the squats definitely make me the most like nervous, so like I'm like I gotta take a deep breath. I'm like all right, you can do this and I do it, um, bench and dead and deadlifts. Like I said, if I do, if I do do that, then it always seems to work out good. So I think that's maybe three things you guys can start practicing to find your flow state and or get in the zone and or don't think, just do, and the whole don't think thing, think, just do, um, and the whole don't think thing. To kind of close out with that. That came from that little like two word thing, came from a book that I'm listening to reading, whatever you want to call it listening to okay, a book that I'm listening to and in one of the chapters they were discussing that as a cue.
Speaker 1:Like they're like you know, sometimes the world's best athletes or whatever, like these people. They're like thinking about this, that and the other and like the last thing, like the person will just like look at him. He's like yeah, uh, what you need to be doing is just don't think, and the point of this is, if you practice enough and you know how to do what you're gonna do, then.
Speaker 2:That's the key, though, is you gotta have that done first. That foundation has to be done first. I'm just clarifying again.
Speaker 1:Yes, just to clarify you cannot do that without having put in the hours and the thousands of hours of practice to make perfect, so to speak. But the point of the cue was just don't think and just do. Your body already knows what it needs to be doing. You just have to do it. Do. Your body already knows what it needs to be doing. You just have to do it. And for someone like yourself who has put in tens of thousands of hours of powerlifting, that is the spot where you need to be Like every cue should just be don't think. Like your body knows what to do, you are strong enough to do it. You just got to go do it. And I really think I mean it's evident. I mean wouldn't you say it's evident by like the change you've had this year, that like your own brain was like, or your mind, so to speak was like probably more my enemy getting in the way than anything else.
Speaker 1:Yes, I mean like now with the and and you, just you just showed that off on that day which made me like so happy. It was like it was like an out of body experience for me, because I just looked over and there's liz like I can't like portray it on the podcast, but she's just, like you know, kind of like bopping her head, like just locked it, which like she does not do like if you know, my wife she does not do this shit.
Speaker 1:so I'm like, all right, she doesn't know where she is, perfect. Like she's like because, like I don't know, you're just like locked into the moment and I knew I'm like, oh yeah, this is good, she's gonna cook this, because we were there to secure what we were there to secure like total wise win the meet, and I don't know, I didn't have like a there's not a shadow in my mind that you're going to miss any of the attempts, except my third attempt, bench.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't know, I don't know. You still like I told you you messed that one up, you like brought it down on your neck almost. Anyways.
Speaker 2:Well, my shoulder popped.
Speaker 1:Yeah, whatever I didn't like it Anyways. So my point is it was just cool to see you get into that state and I think that, to kind of wrap it up, I think that you don't have to be at some what you would consider, because I know you guys listening like I don't know, like you think certain things are what make you strong, like number wise. Look like you don't have to be at that, at that state, that state of strength or whatever standard you're setting, to get into this kind of like flow state, and really you can apply this to any sport. But the one thing, like I said, that you have to have this in common is the hours, the practice. You have to practice what your skill is, what you're trying to achieve, to get into this kind of like flow state and get into the space where you can not think and just do.
Speaker 2:We'll see if we can do that again in three weeks.
Speaker 1:Yep, that's what we're about to do. So, yeah, if you guys, like I said, if you're listening and you're maybe wondering like okay, like how can I apply this, reach out, let us know. We'd love to help you guys apply this to your own life. But if you really want to get started, what you should do is start practicing what we just talked about now and then maybe like reach out to us for help and be like, hey, I've already been practicing this. That's what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, uh, because definitely, like liz said, the bare minimum, uh, to put a number on it is that 10 000 hours like you got to be at least 10 000 or 10 000 hours in, so to speak uh, you know, like really like locked into something and then you can really ascend from there. But also, like I said, I truly believe anyone can get to that state. This is you can get there if you put in the work. It's not exclusive to people that are talented or people that are gifted or whatever. Anyone can do this. You just have to put in the work, put in the hours and then experience the results.
Speaker 2:And who knows? Sometimes it might happen and you don't even know what's happening?
Speaker 1:You don't even know.
Speaker 2:You don't even know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, up next we're going to have to figure out how to get Liz to get there on purpose. Okay.
Speaker 2:Three weeks guys. We got three weeks to figure it out.
Speaker 1:Yep, we anyways hopefully you guys enjoyed this episode, kind of talking about getting in the zone flow, state um, and what I think is the best cue that I've personally listened to read whatever uh digested this whole year. So don't think, just do get out there and chase down those goals and let us know if you have questions or you need help meeting those goals or finding your strong. We're all about redefining strong here, fortis fitness studio, and we're here to help you out yep all right, we'll see you in the next one. Peace, bye.