Try Goal-Oriented Training for More Effective Weight and Muscle Management

One of the biggest issues in today's fitness industry is the state of mind. Everyone is after a physique like a Greek God, and everyone has forgotten about the true purpose of the human body: functionality.

When you look at an Olympic athlete, they look great - some would say amazing. But their goal isn’t to look great. They’re crafting their body from the perspective of human performance, and the physique comes with it. If you’ve been struggling to meet the rigorous demands of your workout program and diet, it could be time to make a sustainable change towards a program that is progressive in nature and goal-oriented.

What is Goal-Oriented Training?

Exactly as it sounds, goal-oriented training is training towards a specific goal, generally in performance rather than physique and body composition. ITs the first question I ask all new clients. What's our goal? Is it to get moving? A race? A competition of some kind? Its one of the most important things to have going into a new training regimen.

For example, in a goal-oriented training program, your goal might be to bench 200 pounds, rather than develop a strong and sexy chest. Another goal could be to squat 300 times, rather than develop lean legs and glutes.

This process enables you to see your body as more than just a superficial item. You view your body as a functional machine that can be changed to look good through functional, performance-based training.

Benefits of Goal-Oriented Training

Why would you train this way rather than strictly for aesthetics? The simple answer is that any training will help you shape your body into better composition with greater muscle development. This style of training will help you to emphasize form and function. You’ll train to grow stronger, and in the process will develop a better physique.

How to Get Started

Getting started with this style of training is as simple as defining your goals. They don't have to be anything crazy, just enough to cause some form of sustainable change.

Try these tips for your new training program:

1. Pick compound lifts for your goals. Exercises like squat, deadlift, bench press, and other compound exercises recruit many muscles and large metabolic systems. They’re perfect for your long-term goals. Top Tip: If you want to develop your legs, orient your goals around increasing your squat and lunging exercises.

2. Understand, this isn't about physique. The faster you can forget about how you look the better off you’ll be when it comes to true success in the gym. Your only focus should be to increase the weight in your compound lifts and move toward your goal.

3. Start off light and easy. There’s no need to start training with high weights. You’ll train your body and grow your muscles with the resistance as you go. So, start with weights that are comfortable for you. You all know I'm an incremental trainer, and we move slowly at first.

4. View your program with a long-term mindset. If you’re to be successful in this new regimen, you must view the process as a long-term goal. There is no need 2 to weigh yourself each morning, or constantly measure your waist.

One Last Thing

If weights aren’t your thing, you can always move toward the endurance route. You can have goals of running a half marathon or running a 50-second 400-meters. There’s absolutely no need to be fixated on weightlifting, yet it is one of the easier ways to track progress. If you’ve been struggling to lose weight and feel satisfied with your current body, then it could be time for you to make a change to goal-oriented training.

Take your time and work through your fitness regimen. Find a trainer that specializes in strength-based progressions rather than physique. Who knows? You might be a future Olympian and you never saw your own potential!