What are the general training goals? And how do you set the right goals?
For newcomers to the gym environment (or gym participants returning from a long sabbatical), setting workout goals can be daunting.
After all, training goals are very personal. What we do inside the gym often reflects our lives outside the gym. Whether you want to build enough endurance to keep up with young children, or build functional strength that can be used in the workplace, you need to find ways to turn your vision into a practical plan.
That’s the topic of this guide. Below we will help you identify possible fitness goals, develop practical plans, and overcome common challenges along the way to better fitness.
What are the four main goals of fitness?
After starting my gym membership, it’s time to set personal goals, but I don’t know exactly where to start.
There are four general fitness goals you can rely on for inspiration.
- Cardiopulmonary durability – Sometimes called “aerobic fitness,” cardiopulmonary durability explains how well (and how long) the lungs and heart can maintain high-strength activity (and how long). One practical marker of cardiopulmonary durability is the feeling after climbing multiple stairs. If you don’t feel caught up after a few floors, it’s probably highly durable.
- Muscle strength and endurance – Muscle strength allows you to infect muscles, or oppose resistance (i.e. pick up heavy weight). Muscle endurance can help you maintain this performance over a long period of time.
- Flexibility – Flexibility explains how well your joints can move through the entire range of movement. For example, how comfortable you can touch your toes.
- Maintaining body composition – The ratio of fat, bones and muscles to total body weight is a marker of body composition. We often consider body composition purely aesthetic, but it is the basis of everyday functioning. A sufficiently high muscle to body weight ratio can accomplish common strength-based tasks (such as heavy box movement).
Current goals generate future profits
Using clear well structure goals can improve motivation, build consistency and create positive results.
In other words, goals are the foundation of profit.
But our workout goals are almost always tied to us:
- Personal preferences – If you like hiking on weekends, you’ll enjoy activities like aerobic exercise, such as walking the treadmill. If you’re a social butterfly, a group fitness class will probably be a rewarding experience for you. Whenever possible, try to match your fitness goals to your personal preferences. It should be fun to leave!
- Lifestyle – If you are a working parent with limited free time, the goal of working two hours on weekdays probably won’t work for you, but committing to a 30-minute flexibility routine on Saturdays and Sundays may be more achievable. When your goals fit seamlessly into your lifestyle, you are more likely to pursue (and achieve) them.
Smart Goal 101
but how Do you set goals according to your personal preferences and lifestyle? One approach is to set smart goals.
Smart is an acronym:
- Specific – A smart goal is bite-sized. It’s small enough to tackle head-on with a simple plan.
- Measuring possible – Smart goals can be measured by numbers. You need to be able to quantify so that you can track your progress over time.
- Achievable – Smart goals are achievable. In other words, it can be achieved in the set time frame, within lifestyle constraints, depending on your ability level.
- Related – A wise goal is related to part of your life or your vision for your life. Relevance is the foundation of individual investment.
- Timebound – Smart goals are pursued within a set time frame. Setting a timeline for your goals prevents procrastination and allows you to reevaluate your goals at a specific time.
Let’s take a look at some examples of smart training goals.
- Deadlifting 1.5 times your weight in 3 months
- s: Deadlifting is one specific exercise.
- m: Weight is easy to measure and track.
- a: This goal can be achieved if you can implement a deadlift movement.
- r: This goal is related to other broader goals. It includes building functional strength.
- t: 3 months is the set time frame.
- Run 5k without stopping in 6 months
- s: Running is a specific activity, and 5K is the set distance.
- m: Distance and number of stops can be measured.
- a: This goal can be achieved if it is physically feasible.
- r: This goal is related to overall endurance, or general fitness goals.
- t: Six months is the set time frame.
- Touch your toes within 6 weeks
- s:Toe touch is a specific exercise.
- m: There are only two possible outcomes, whether you touch the toe or not.
- a: This goal can be achieved if you have the ability to stand and bend at your waist.
- r: This goal is related to overall flexibility and mobility.
- t: Six weeks is the set time frame.
Workout goals: Examples and tips
With the above in mind, let’s look at examples of additional training goals. It is divided into three main categories: skill-based goals, performance goals, and consistency goals.
Skill-based goals
Newcomers and longtime gym people are equally trying to learn gym skills. It is a specialized exercise and movement that can be used to achieve wider fitness goals.
Some examples are:
- Master the kettlebell swing
- Crouch with the right form
- Walk comfortably on the treadmill
- Hold yoga poses correctly
Of course, these still need to be transformed into smarter goals. What would these examples look like if they were tuned to meet the smart format?
- Master the kettlebell swing with a weight of 5 pounds in 2 weeks
- Slump half of your weight in the right shape in 3 months
- Walk 3 mph on a treadmill for 20 minutes in a week
- Hold the warrior correctly for 2 minutes in 3 weeks
Performance goals
Instead of mastering a specific skill, you’ll want to improve your performance in a specific fitness area. While performance goals are very common in the fitness community, smart frameworks are tickets to help you achieve your performance goals.
Typical performance goals are:
- Improves running speed
- Lift the weight
- Improved flexibility
- Adjustment and balance improvements
Choosing a direction can be difficult if you want to achieve any of the above goals. After all, there are multiple ways to improve adjustments and balance. Playing team sports, taking yoga classes, and performing balance-specific weight exercises are all the routes to reach this goal.
So, if you are looking to improve your performance, distill your overall goal into a smart compatible plan.
- Increase treadmill speed for 4 weeks, 0.1 mph every week
- Increase your squats by 5 pounds per week for two months
- Push vigorously to touch your toes every week
- Take kickboxing classes once a week for six months
Consistency goals
In the example above, you will notice that each smart goal has an element of consistency. It’s like speeding up slightly each week, gaining squat weight every week.
If your goals are primarily related to consistency, you can use a smart framework to create an actionable plan.
But if you just want to go to the gym more frequently, why lean on a smart approach? This is because consistency goals, such as performance goals, are often ambiguous. Also, if there is no particular orientation, it may be less likely to construct (and stick to) routines.
For example, take the following general consistency goals:
- Use stairs steppers more frequently
- Join more Pilates classes
- I have a “leg day” once a week
- Stretch every morning
A smart framework can help you turn these general goals into actionable goals.
- Use the stairs stepper every Monday for 4 weeks
- After six months of work, I go to Pilates every Wednesday
- Do 5 leg-specific exercises every Saturday for two months
- Continue the stretching video every morning at 9:00am
The more specific your goals, the easier they will be to act. If you are trying to be more consistent, start small. Even a five-minute commitment every day can quickly develop into a solid routine.
Overcoming the hurdles
Right after starting your gym trial, you may be very motivated and ready to commit to something everyday, but this enthusiasm can be difficult to maintain.
This is just one of many challenges you may face on your fitness journey. Others are as follows:
- Fighting with Progress Plateaus
- Find time to exercise
- I am consistently willing to go to the gym
A smart framework that is used as intended will help you deal with all of this.
- Smart goals have an end date, providing natural reflection points. If you reach the plateau at the end of your six-month goal, this is the perfect time to switch approaches and find new ways to go beyond your limits.
- Smart goals with frequency details (i.e. taking Pilates classes every Wednesday) allow you to look into your schedule. A smart goal gives you the opportunity to make a standing reservation with yourself.
- With smart goals, you can always see what you want to achieve. If you set your goal of squatting 200 pounds in six months, there is a clear purpose for each visit to the gym. Get a little closer to 200 pounds with every workout. Clarity of purpose is an antidote to a lack of motivation.
Chuze: A fitness community that supports your goals
Workout goals are highly personalized and very effective. By considering your preferences and leveraging smart goal frameworks, you can curate and stay motivated with very specific goals that meet your needs.
But the tools in the fitness enthusiast toolbox are not a clear goal. A strong fitness community can make all the difference in pursuing positive change.
Chuze Fitness is the supportive fitness community you are looking for. With friendly and helpful staff and clean and highly organized facilities, our gym is more than a room full of equipment. They are rooms full of people.
You deserve a great gym and an amazing gym community. Find Chews Fitness near you and start.
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