Impulse Control

Last week I wrote about finding gems in the middle of your daily death scroll through your app of choice.

Well, this week I came across one that I haven’t stopped thinking about since I saw it. Unfortunately I didn’t save whatever it was, not can I remember where I saw it.

Typical.

BUT I remember the line that hit me:

“The characteristic that sets successful people apart from unsuccessful people is impulse control.”

Now, I generally don’t give a lot of credence to statements like this. I’ve read SO many articles claiming to reveal “the ONE trait of ultra-successful people” and it seems the answer is something like “whatever the study was designed to find”. Journaling? Sure. Meditation? Ray Dalio endorses it. To-do lists? Go for it. Ruthless honesty? It seems to work pretty well if you’re graceful about it. But there was something about this statement that made me think, “Oh. Well that’s what weightlifting is all about - impulse control.”

Before I get explain that connection, let me honor all of my middle school English teachers by offering a definition of impulse. The good old Merriam-Webster dictionary defines impulse as “a sudden spontaneous inclination or incitement to some usually unpremeditated action”, emphasis on sudden and unpremeditated. All of these definitions suggest that these actions are unconscious, which suggests that they can't really be controlled. Well now impulse control sounds more like an oxymoron, but I say if freezer burn is possible, then maybe impulse control is, too.

How might this set apart unsuccessful people from successful people? It seems to me that if you can stop yourself from getting up to go to the bathroom, then getting a snack, then getting some water, then checking your phone, you’d probably get a little more done. At the very least, interrupting these subconscious urges would keep you from spreading your energy across multiple tasks in a short period of time. Alas, that’s not really what this post is about, so if you want to learn more I’d suggest this podcast from The Knowledge Project starring everyone’s favorite neuroscientist, Andrew Huberman.

So, on to the real question: How does this apply to weightlifting?

We all have little things that we do during our lifts. How many times have you heard your coach say something when you're like..."What? I do that? Are you sure? I don't feel it." You watch the video and LOOK AT YOU just scooting onto your toes RIGHT when the bar passes your knees.

Or shifting into your heels the minute you start your first pull. Or bending your arms. Or opening up your chest too early. You get the picture.

How do we go about addressing that, you ask?

First, we identify the impulse. Then, we deliberately mimic conditions (aka program) that will cause the impulse to occur. By doing this, we allow ourselves a chance to make these unconscious movements conscious. Once we are conscious of them, we can interrupt or correct the behavior. After a while, we can begin to integrate the correction or new behavior into the full lift.

To give an example, consider a 3-position snatch. Pause below the knees. You feel balanced and in control. Pause above the knees. Hmm. I didn’t feel my heel lift but I know it did because I just heard it hit the platform. Ok I’ve readjusted and this feels good. I can move to my thigh now. Another shift, but I’m back into a good power position. This is where I need to be. I’ll remember this.

Then repeat this cycle of action, reflection, and application until BAM, you’re on the olympic stage.

Before you get there though, I hope it’s apparent how practicing this behavior in the gym helps prepare you for the challenges you’ll face throughout your daily life.

If not, I guess you can always buy a cold plunge. Or was is it sauna now? Successful people, spill the beans.