The best way to ensure progress in the iron game is to set fitness goals that you want to achieve.
Many folks have great intentions when they set fitness goals. But achieving them takes more effort than good intentions.
No Accountability = No Achievement
Setting goals is important. But the goals that most lifters set are often too vague.
General fitness goals do not create any accountability. Being a lifter or an athlete who has general fitness goals is better than being a no goal loser. But most people have a high probability of never reaching their general fitness goals. This is due to the absence of accountability tied to them.
I’ve discovered that setting specific fitness goals is the best way to reach your goals. When your goal hinges on a certain performance or numbers, it carries more weight. This means that you will be more motivated to actually hit the goal.
When I returned to the masters’ track game for 1 meet in 2015, I only had the general goal of running the 100-meter dash. I finished the race, but my time was not good, and I got smoked! In 2016, I had the specific goals of getting into the 11.5-11.6 second range in the 100-meter dash. I also wanted to break 24 seconds in the 200-meter dash. I fought hard, but I was unable to hit those benchmarks in 2016.
But during the 2017 summer track season, I smashed both of those goals. I ran 11.57 in the 100m dash and 23.78 in the 200m dash at age 33.
Without specific numbers to aim for, I wouldn’t have felt the urgency or drive to achieve those times.
Be Specific
Let’s examine some general goals and how we can change them into specific goals:
General Goals:
1) “I want to get stronger.”
2) “I want to get leaner.”
3) “I want to get faster.”
4) “I want to build muscle.”
5) “I want to build bigger legs.”
Specific Goals:
1) “I want to bench press 225lbs, deadlift 405lbs, and squat 275lbs.”
2) “I want to lose 10lbs of body fat.”
3) “I want to drop my 40-yard dash time from 4.8 to 4.6.”
4) “I want to add 10lbs of muscle mass to my frame.”
5) “I want to build 23-inch thighs.”
Look at how the narrative instantly changes!
When the goal you set is specific, it gives your end goal a clear frame of reference. “I want to get leaner” is a bit hollow. It does not hold as much weight as “I want to lose 10lbs of body fat.”
Setting specific goals also gives the process legs. When personal goals are specific, they force you to be accountable if you are unable to reach them. If you fail to reach a goal, it should also inspire you to work harder to reach it. Losers will fail once and quit forever. But anyone determined to unleash their inner greatness won’t settle for less.
If you are a skinny scarecrow, as I once was, don’t settle for the fake hustle “I want to get bigger” goal. Set a specific amount of muscle mass that you want to build. And then focus on doing everything you can to add that muscle to your frame.
If you are fat and flabby, don’t settle for the token “I want to lose weight” goal. Set a specific amount of body fat that you want to lose. And then focus on doing everything that you can to drop that fat.
If you are weak and frail, don’t settle for the overused “I want to get stronger” goal. Choose a few basic exercises and set some specific numbers to hit in those exercises.
This is how you set personal goals and actually achieve them!
Conclusion
To maximize your chances of reaching a goal, make sure what you are aiming for is specific. Or else your goal will be swept up into the dustbins of oblivion.
I’ll holla at you next time.
The People’s Trainer,
Fitman
