Why it is Important to Set Goals While Training

We all set goals every New Year’s eve that we somehow fail to achieve. In bodybuilding and training many have set goals but ended up never achieving them. It is important to set goals while training as without them we would be wasting much of our potential. It is not surprising that you will find some people going to the gym year after year without much difference in their bodies.

A training goal is just like a vision. You create a vision for what you wish to look like and feel like after some months of training. It is this vision that will force you to determine what you need to do and also make you actually take action to get to the vision. Taking a few minutes every day to visualise yourself with that perfect body, leads you to take the actions that are necessary for you to achieve it.

Training goals force you to be accountable for your actions. Many of us have the tendency to blame everything else but our own work ethic when things do not go well. For example, if we do not go to the gym, we might end up blaming the weather. A well defined training goal that is written down will remind us of the need to go to the gym to improve on a particular muscle group. Seeing the training goal everyday does not allow us to blame anyone but ourselves when we fail to achieve it.

A well thought out goal pushes us to find ways to achieve it even when things look bleak. How many times do we set out on bench presses wishing to get to 10 bench presses at a particular weight? On reaching the count of seven, we start thinking of ways why the remaining three pushes are not necessary. With a set goal, we are able to dig into our reserves and actually finish the set.

Goals in training help us overcome difficulty during difficult times. Setbacks occur at any time. They could be injuries, feeling hopeless or bad influence from other people. Goals help the trainer adjust to such setbacks and disappointments. Creating the goal, believing in it and reviewing it will give you more courage and determination to achieve it even when things are not looking too good.

Reaching your goals gives you the confidence to achieve more both in the gym and in other aspects of life. Reviewing your progress lets you realise that you are steadily making progress and will achieve more goals in your life. If you find yourself lifting 10kgs more than you did when you first started training, it is important to reflect and appreciate the progress one has made. Doing this will motivate you to set higher goals and achieve more in your training.

Goal setting is just as important in training as it is in life. A weight trainer without goals is like a ship without a destination. Well thought out goals will set us on the path towards better health faster and with more fun. After all training is meant to be fun and challenging.

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