The ADHD Athlete
Living with ADHD, I’ve often felt like I was navigating life on Hard Mode. Unmedicated for most of my life, my short attention span, lack of motivation, and impulsive moments complicated every aspect of my daily routine. Simple tasks felt like climbing mountains. However, amidst this chaos, a surprising exception emerged: my journey as a professional powerlifter. I began powerlifting at the age of 30, embarking on a path that defied my ADHD-related challenges. Remarkably, at 33, I achieved the unimaginable, becoming a triple world record holder in the sport. Given the nature of ADHD, it’s remarkable but perhaps not entirely surprising that competitive sports, such as powerlifting, became a rare arena where ADHD wasn’t solely a source of difficulties but rather a strength that contributed to my success.
Harnessing Strengths
Hyper Focus
ADHD’s hallmark hyperfocus has been the secret sauce for me in training and competition. When I like something, I REALLY like it to the point where I can do it hours on end without pause (you should have seen my marathon video game sessions as a kid…and last week). This intense concentration allows me to endure hours of rigorous workouts and perform tasks that might otherwise seem tedious or unappealing. Early in my lifting career, I’d spend hours at the gym — usually too many — lifting, stretching, and rehabbing, fully absorbed in every moment of it. And going back to school to study nutrition wasn’t just manageable; I completed all three academic quarters within one quarter because I was so eager to find solutions for my powerlifting obstacles.
High Energy
People frequently remark how energetic I am, another trait often associated with ADHD. Restlessness, a prevalent characteristic of ADHD, generates an ongoing urge to keep moving. This perpetual feeling, coupled with heightened sensitivity to stimuli, makes me easily excitable. Whenever I come across something enjoyable or captivating, this restlessness transforms into boundless energy. Combine this with hyperfocus and I’m an unstoppable workhorse as long as I’m engaged.
Confronting Weaknesses
Easily Distracted
The flip side of hyperfocus is distraction. If I’m not hyperfocused, I’m distracted; there is no in-between. The struggle with distraction, especially during crucial lifts, is a challenge during my workouts as it impacts technique and my ability to execute a lift successfully.
Attention to Detail
When distraction hits, attention to detail takes a nosedive. In powerlifting, precision is paramount; without focus, your form suffers, as does any hope of a decent workout.
Constant Need for Stimulation
The perpetual need for excitement — be it novelty, gym achievements, or any form of thrill — presents a persistent challenge. Personally, achieving Personal Records (PRs) in the gym is what keeps my love for lifting alive. But as you progress in lifting, achieving new PRs becomes increasingly difficult. This begs the question: how do you sustain motivation then? As the years pass and PRs become increasingly scarce, this has become my most significant challenge. Additionally, lifting alone tends to feel boring and lacks the stimulation I crave. Unlike many who thrive in solitary workouts, my motivation to lift significantly decreases when I’m on my own.
Disdain for Routine
The opposite of novelty is routine. With ADHD comes difficulties in adhering to routine. I have a huge aversion to repetitive or boring tasks. Unfortunately, all powerlifting routines are by nature somewhat repetitive and will always include at least one exercise that I don’t find enjoyable. Combine this with the constant need for stimulation, and you’ll find me going off program nearly every week when left to my own devices.
Solutions That Worked for Me
Goal Setting
Setting achievable, incremental goals has been instrumental. It helps me convert ADHD-related fidgetiness into focused energy. Breaking down big accomplishments into smaller, achievable milestones has been incredibly motivating. For instance, targeting a 10 lb. increase in my bench press by the next competition might feel overwhelming, and the distant target date could drain my motivation. Instead, setting a goal to increase the bench by 5 lb. within 2 month offers a quick small win along the way, keeping me focused and rewarded throughout.
Understanding Why
Completing tasks that I find mundane or unpleasant is a real challenge for me. Yet, when I understand how these tasks contribute directly to my goals, it becomes significantly easier to muster the motivation. Take T-bar rows, for instance — an exercise I dislike due to its discomfort and boringness. However, I understand that this exercise is crucial for strengthening my back to improve my bench press. Reminding myself of this helps me tackle these rows whenever they’re part of my routine.
Know Your Weaknesses
To some extent, you can manufacture discipline. Most of my lifting sessions happen in the company of my coach, not because I lack knowledge but because I know myself too well. As previously implied, solo workouts often result in skipping the gym or half-assed efforts. If you can’t find motivation, you can at least purchase accountability. Similarly, I’ve discovered that lifting with friends, albeit to a lesser extent, also increases the quality of my workouts as the social aspect adds the type of stimulation that keeps me engaged.
Removing Distractions, Both Internal and External
ADHD brings about a constant struggle with distractions, both internal and external, which can be particularly challenging during workouts. While it’s relatively simple to eliminate external disruptions by silencing phones or choosing the right workout playlist, managing internal distractions proves more complicated. Enter meditation — a practice I initially resisted due to its monotony. Surprisingly, I soon discovered its tremendous impact on my lifting performance. Struggling with a wandering mind often resulted in subpar gym performance. Understanding that emptying my mind pre- and during workouts could notably improve my lifts became a powerful motivator, despite my initial aversion for what I deemed “more boring stuff.” I still find meditation boring, but I’ve found that even a few minutes of it significantly benefit my workout. Knowing that a brief session is all I need for a positive impact makes me glad that’s all I have to do.
Embracing It All
Sometimes, the complex nature of ADHD can be reshaped into tools for success. While navigating the labyrinth of strengths and challenges inherent in ADHD, I’ve come to realize that it doesn’t have to be a dead end. Though it might sound cliché to suggest that every challenge holds an opportunity, my journey with ADHD has allowed me unparalleled opportunities — not just an amazing career as a professional athlete, but also a transformative journey of self-discovery. Embracing your idiosyncrasies, including ADHD, can be an asset on the path to achieving greatness, be it in sports or any other pursuit.
