F E B R U A R Y 7
Setting Goals in the Gym
WWW.QNS.COM | FEBRUARY 2018 | LEHAVRE COURIER 7
BY NICHOLAS LEONE, ACSM – CPT
Le Havre boasts a state-of-the-art
gym right at your doorstep, and it’s
included in your club membership.
Stop by the Clubhouse and check it out.
Here’s some good advice by a Certified
Professional Trainer to inspire you!
~Editor
In today’s new era of social media
platforms and entertainment options,
the average attention span lasts about
as long as the changing direction of the
winds. This has serious repercussions
for many who struggle to achieve their
desired fitness results. As the wise
Yogi Berra once said, "You've gotta be
very careful if you don't know where
you're going, because you might not
get there."
However, what you wish to achieve
in the gym – or really in any aspect of
life – will be made easier by clearly
outlining what the end game is and,
just as importantly, how you plan on
reaching it. The process doesn’t have
to be complicated. I promise you don’t
have to make a thousand mile journey
into the remote wilderness to find your
“true calling.” Just seek out a familiar,
quiet, and relaxing place and really
think about these following steps:
CLEARLY DEFINE
THE BIG PICTURE
RESULTS YOU SEEK
Maybe you want to add lean muscle.
Maybe you want to drop stubborn
body fat. Maybe you want to run that
5K or half marathon with your friends.
Maybe you just want to be able to perform
the daily activities of life without
pain. Whatever you decide, always
keep sight of the bigger framework,
especially through adversity and rocky
times. Keep your goals congruent with
each other. Trying to drop body fat
while also decreasing the amount of
time it takes you to jog a mile are generally
goals that can be accomplished
together. Trying to train for a marathon
while also trying to train up to a 400 lb
bench press won’t work! Always apply
common sense and seek out counsel
from those around you who are better
versed on the subject matter.
LOCK IN ON
SPECIFIC THINGS
YOU’D LIKE TO
ACCOMPLISH
So you have the big goal(s) in mind,
great! Now we need to sharpen the
edges. If you want to lose fat, how
much fat? Want to add muscle, how
much muscle? If you want to run that
marathon, will it be just 1 marathon?
Do you plan on staying in top shape
year round to run in multiple races? It’s
okay if you don’t have the exact answer
now, just lay a general idea down and
you can always readjust later.
SET BOTH LONG
TERM AND SHORT
TERM GOALS
As with just about everything, the
easiest way to keep track of goals
is through time. For the purposes of
exercise activity, short term goals can
best be defined as those that can be
achieved within several weeks to several
months. Medium and long term
goals can generally be set anywhere
from 6 months to 2 years. This could
vary greatly based on the activity but
most will usually fall on this spectrum.
If you want to lose 10 lbs of fat for
example, setting a goal of 1 lb per
week, or 4 lbs per month, is sensible.
Long term goals seem daunting.
Hiking up to the peak of a mountain
seems deflating when you’re only just
at the base. But if you think of it just in
increments of a few hundred feet at a
time, it’s rewarding every time you hit
a new milestone. Short term goals are
important because they allow us small
rewards to keep us motivated to finish
the job.
Your short term goals should always
mirror your long term goals. That
should seem obvious but many times
people perform activities not conducive
to their long term plan. Sprinters
are considered to have some of the
most athletic physiques of any sport.
If you’d like to run faster and look
more athletic, you wouldn’t jog on
the treadmill at a snail’s pace, would
you? If you are aging and your doctor
prescribes a resistance training program
to battle the effects of bone and
muscle loss, spending all your time on
a recumbent bike probably won’t get
you closer to that goal.
KEEP
EXPECTATIONS
HIGH – BUT WITHIN
REASON
You should always strive for goals
that are just on the cusp of what is
achievable. Most people know those
infomercial gadgets you see at 3:00 am
on some D-List cable network promising
20 lbs of weight loss in just 13
minutes a day is complete nonsense.
Unfortunately, today’s fitness magazines,
shows, and even so-called “fitness
gurus” have also muddled those
lines to chase a quick buck.
Try to discuss goals with people who
may have some sort of knowledge on
the subject. It is important that they
are people who will be honest and
objective with you and tell you what
you need to hear, not what you want
to hear. It is important for you to
have thick skin, and be able to accept
constructive criticism from those who
only have your best interests at heart.
Do some research on the subject matter
you’re interested in. Find highly
respected journals, books, and authors
to read up on. If what knowledgeable
people are telling you lines up with
what you have been reading, chances
are it is appropriate to consider when
setting expectations.
WRAPPING UP
Above all else, remember that goal
setting is about continual progression
and evolving to become more
well-rounded as individuals.
The Le Havre Gym
L E H A V R E
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