Goal Setting for Taking Your Strength to the Next Level

If you’re keen on increasing your strength, you need to have a plan to keep yourself – and your training routine – on track.

Check out our tips to help you set your fitness goals and achieve peak performance.

Clarify your wants and needs

Start by clarifying exactly what it is you want from your strength training routine – is it six pack abs, a bigger back or increased leg strength? Goals are much more attainable when broken down into specific wants and needs. This is also a good foundation upon which you can start establishing a step-by-step plan to put your goals into action.

Write down your ultimate goal (i.e. to be able to deadlift an extra 20kg by September) and begin breaking it down into smaller and smaller goals, until they can be incorporated into your daily routine on a week by week basis (i.e. increase your weights by X amount, every X weeks). When it comes to strength training, workout variables you can alter include:

• Choice of exercises
• Order of exercises
• Number of sets
• Resistance
• Rest between sets

Revise your training plan

When it comes to strength development, it’s important to take a look at your current training routine and, with the help of a trained fitness professional, adjust it accordingly over regular intervals (every 6-8 weeks) to ensure your muscles are kept in a perpetual state of change.

Reflect on your progress every week, and write down how you’re feeling as you progress through each component of your strength training program.

Of course, when you change your training routine with the focus of increasing your strength, you need to ensure your diet is adjusted accordingly. Consulting with nutrition professional will help you consume the necessary proteins, carbohydrates and fats your body needs for muscle recovery and growth.

Stay motivated

Finally, to achieve your set goals and take your strength to the next level, you need to be able to stay motivated. Enlist the help of a Personal Trainer to keep you on track, join a community of like-minded fitness lovers, take a series of regular transformation photos or simply call upon your friends to help boost your motivation levels.

This article was proudly provided by the Australian Institute of Personal Trainers, who support Genesis Fitness and help our members achieve their fitness goals. If you are interested in starting a career in Personal Training, click here for more information.