Monday, 1 June 2015

Set Training Goals

Training needs long term and short term goals.


Training goals allow you to motivate and encourage discipline in your daily habits and behavior. Marathon runners start training regimens early to increase endurance and leg strength. If you want to get in shape and improve overall health, then diet and consistent exercise plays an important role. Specific training goals help determine what type of regimen is necessary. For weight loss, training goals allow you to set time constraints and exercise goals to keep your metabolism and energy up.


Instructions


1. Research the fitness activities that interest you. A number of fitness magazines and online sites provide training tips and guidance, workout regimens, and injury-prevention tips (See Resources). Another option is to make an appointment with a personal trainer at a local fitness center who develops a plan to help you reach your goals.


2. Create a list of specific yet overall goals for your training routine that become long term goals. Training programs focus on weight loss, endurance, weight-training or a combination of the three. Long term goals show a progression of training, such as losing twenty five to forty pounds, running for 60 minutes and bench pressing 200 pounds.


3. List short term goals to achieve on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. For example, daily goals is adding 10 minutes onto a run. Weekly goals are losing two to four pounds, increasing your running endurance in ten to fifteen minute increments and gradually increasing the amount of weight that you are able to bench press.


4. Write the long term goals down on a piece of paper. Make an agreement or contract with yourself to fulfill the goals. Place the contract in a visible place in your house such as the workout room or on the refrigerator.


5. Post a timetable for achieving the goals such as a calendar or sheet of paper near your long term goals. A timetable with specific dates works as an incentive to keep you on track. Set dates long term and short term goals. Be realistic in setting the dates. For example, if you are currently bench pressing 50 pounds, then an unrealistic goal is to bench press 200 pounds in just two months.


6. Reward yourself when you accomplish specific goals. If you are only able to run for 10 minutes at the beginning of the training program, celebrate when you achieve the 30 minute mark. The 30 minute mark represents significant improvement and you are halfway to achieving your long term goal of 60 minutes.

Tags: term goals, long term, short term, short term goals, bench press, bench pressing