There seems to be a fairly large tournament going on at the moment that involves kicking balls into goals: this post has nothing to do with that!
The goals I'm talking about are markers of achievement that you should be setting for yourself. If you just blindly aim to continue making progress - in or out of the gym - you might struggle and end up spinning your wheels! Think of an athlete that you look up to. Got one? Good. Now do you think that they got where they are by luck? Probably not. The chances are that they got to where they are now by setting goals and working towards them one by one. Little by little, this lead to them becoming great in their profession. Now let's get back to you. Do you currently have a goal? If your answer was "yes, I've got a goal to lose weight" or "yes, I want to get stronger" then I'm afraid this isn't going to cut it.
A goal without a plan isn't actually a goal, it's just a wish or a want.
We need to make a few changes to your goal to make sure that you're going to stick to it and reach it! How To Set Your Goals 1. Make sure that your goal is quantifiable! A quantifiable goal is one that can be measured. When creating a goal for yourself, be specific and direct with the results that you want to achieve. Everything should be able to be measured in numbers, statistics, or percentages. If you are not getting results from your training, then what are you doing it for? And if your results can not be measured, how do you know if you are making progress?
2. You HAVE to set a time frame for your goals. When you set a time parameter for your goal you are giving yourself a deadline and we don't like missing deadlines!
3. Make your goals realistic and obtainable. Don't aim to lose a stone in a few weeks - focus on many smaller 'sub-goals', like losing a pound per week for the next 14 weeks. This means that you'll have a feeling of achievement more often and this can fuel your confidence and more rapidly fuel your desired results.
4. Set your own goals; don’t wait for someone else to make them for you. Don't let your coach make your goals for you as you should have a good idea of what you want to achieve. Your goals and your dreams are just that – yours! If you really struggle with setting goals, your coach will help you.
5. Write your goals down. Share them with your family, your friends, or post them online! As you accomplish each goal, cross it off, and write the date. Give yourself a fist bump, then move on to your next goal. Before you know it, you will be reaching your ultimate goal.
The most efficient way to progress in the gym or with your weight loss journey is to set realistic goals. You can try to progress without goals, but if you want to optimise your training and make sure that you stick to your goals, then go out and make some.