There Is No One True Way

No, this isn't some religious statement. This is a training statement!

I've heard and read many claims that say things like "If you want [insert desired result here], then you HAVE to do it this way." In class, not too long ago, we had a natural bodybuilder as a guest speaker (don't get me wrong, he's a great guy...just misled). He spent a great deal of time telling us that if we wanted to build muscle we HAVE to eat a ton of calories and take weight gain supplements. He also added that we HAVE to do bodybuilding splits with light weights and high reps, always to failure, 5 days a week if we wanted to really build muscle.

That just never sits well with me. If an approach like that worked for everyone, all muscle mag readers would be stacked! Even Arnold Schwarzeneggar, one of the fathers of bodybuilding, gained a majority of his muscle doing the polar opposite to the "Standard Bodybuilding Crap." His mentor, Reg Park (who also happened to be the first Mr. Olympia), strictly used a 5x5 program to build massive amounts of both muscle and strength!

My point? Find what works for you! Don't just train a certain way because the big guy in the gym says you "gotta do it like this if you wanna get big, bro."

This applies to more than just building muscle.

Bruce Lee used this philosophy extensively in his attempt to continually progress not only his physical abilities, but also his fighting system. A good summary of his philosophy would be: Find and use what works, no matter what the source, and discard what doesn't work.

This applies to everything from building muscle and strength to losing weight, developing conditioning, etc. No matter what the destination or goal, there is never one single path to get there. This even goes for nutrition. Even though I like the Primal/Paleo nutrition philosophies, I wouldn't recommend it to every person or client out there. I believe there are quite a few options that would work, depending on the person.

Each person is different.

Our physiologies and hormones are all different. I'm currently very interested in Mike Mahler's hormone optimization. The point is, each person is different and needs to take a slightly different approach, even if they use similar methods to someone else. What works for me may not work for you. It may also take a while for you to find the perfect formula, but never fear! It's out there! Settling for a sub-par personal fitness or nutrition formula will give you sub-par results. I only just recently found the formula that works best for me, and I'm seeing better results now than ever before! You can too! Take it from me: it's all about trial and correction. No, that wasn't a typo...trial and correction is much more powerful than trial and error. We must not qualify anything as a failure or error, just a part of the learning process. We analyze and make corrections where they are needed, then keep moving forward!

So just remember: use what works, don't try to rush it, and NEVER TREAT ANYTHING AS A FAILURE!

Train Smart!

Setting Goals, the SMART Way - Part 2

Here is part 2 of "Setting Goals, the SMART Way." If you haven't read part 1, you can find it here.

Setting the SMART Goal

Now let's get down to the nitty-gritty of the SMART portion of our goal-setting. It doesn't have to be formally modeled the way I am about to set it out for you, but it can help. All you really need, though, are an outcome goal, a way to measure it, actions you will take to reach the goal, and a time limit or time constraint.

We'll use Trainees A and B again as examples:

Specific - Trainee A: Wants to lose 30 pounds in 6 months; Trainee B: wants to add 60 pounds to his squat in 6 months.

Measurable - Losing 30 pounds (Trainee A) and adding 60 pounds (Trainee B) in 6 months are the main measurable goals, plus the 3-month, 1-month, and weekly goals.

Action-based- The action steps can best be described as the individual weekly actions that one commits to. Trainee A's action steps would look like this: "I'll keep under 1,800 calories on weekdays, do metabolic conditioning or high intensity interval training about 30 minutes a day 3 days a week, and do calisthenics 2-3 days a week." Whereas Trainee B might be: "I'll increase my clean calorie intake by 500 calories, weight train 3-4 days per week, and focus on adding 5 pounds to my squat every week."

You may want to start with one action step and add another one each week. Whatever works for you is what you'll stick most with, so if it is easier to start at on action step, do it. If you feel comfortable taking on many steps at the same time, go ahead and do it! These steps are what you will be changing as you assess your progress toward your goals.

Realistic - Can you actually achieve your outcome goals within the time you've given yourself? Can you do the action steps? You should feel confident about your ability to reach your goals. If you aren't sure, there is an increased chance of failure. If you feel unsure of your ability to reach your goals, you can always reassess and scale back. Reaching any goal, no matter how big or small, is a victory.

Time-constrained - This can be viewed two ways. First, you can use your outcome goal's time frame. For both Trainees A and B that would be six months. Second, you can use your weekly goals as your time constraints. This would be, for example, the 3-4 days per week of lifting for Trainee B.

Examples of Well-Written SMART Goals

Suzy wants to lose 10 lbs in six months. She will do this by keeping under 1,800 calories a day, 5 days a week. She will also run 3-5 miles a day, 3 days a week and lift weights 2 days a week.

Todd wants to increase his 50 meter sprint from 6.8 to 5.4 in 14 weeks. He will do this by sprinting 3 times weekly and strength training 3-4 days for 45 minutes weekly.

Robert wants to lose two inches off his waist and decrease his cholesterol level. He will do this by reducing calories and eating clean foods and walking an accumulated 5 miles a day, measuring his daily steps with a pedometer.

These are very simple and easy to write out, but extremely effective. They cover all the basics of the SMART goal and can be easily reassessed and changed when needed. So my challenge to you is to pick a goal, any goal, and write up a SMART goal with one or two action steps. Follow those steps this week and decide for yourself if it is useful to you. Remember, you are your own grand experiment, and only you can discover what works best. I can only show you the door. You have to be the one to open it. *Shameless Matrix Plug*

Train Smart!

Setting Goals, the SMART Way - Part 1

Today, we are going to talk about goal-setting.

We all have goals. Not necessarily always fitness related, but we do all have some kind of goal. We are all at a Point A, and we all want to reach a Point B, usually related to some sort of behavior. The problem is, we can all see Point B from where we are...and we have no idea how to get there. I will give you a strategy that can help you reach your goals (and maybe start setting new ones!). To remain within the scope of this blog I will focus on fitness-related goal-setting, but these strategies can help in many other areas of life as well; whether you want to improve your sleep by getting two more hours every night or get straight A's next semester.

The SMARTer Way to Set and Achieve Goals

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

Goals: 2. the end toward which effort is directed.

Goals should always be effective ones, and the process for reaching those goals must definitely be effective. The effort is very important. Without it, your chances for success will be greatly reduced. Many times we set specific goals, knowing exactly the outcome we desire, but ultimately fail because we did not know how to bridge the gap between where we are and where we want to be.

The SMART goal is a process of goal-setting that includes both the outcome and the steps to reach it. SMART is an acronym that stands for:

Specific - Goals are best when they are specific and well-defined (e.g. "I want to lose 10 lbs by April," as opposed to "I want to do more cardio").

Measurable - Goals should always be measurable so you know when you have achieved them.

Action-based - Your goals should be something you will actually do. The process of reaching any goal is based on the actions you take to change a behavior, not just the outcome you desire (e.g. "I want to lose 5 lbs" is an outcome goal. "I am going to do metabolic conditioning or swimming for at 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week and eat a healthy breakfast" These are action steps).

Realistic - Your goals must be achievable, given the time and resources available. If the goal isn't realistic, you will be much more likely to fail, which can undermine confidence in your ability to succeed when you try again.

Time-constrained - There must always be a deadline. Without a deadline there is no sense of urgency and no guideline for how often to do the action steps.

Setting the Goals Themselves

The best way to start a SMART goal is by deciding on the long-term outcome. These are typically within a six month to year range, but they can sometimes be shorter. Here are a couple examples of  6 month outcome goals:

Trainee A: "I want to lose 30 pounds in 6 months."

Trainee B: "I want to increase my squat weight by 60 lbs in 6 months."

They are both long-term goals, and they are both very clear about what the outcome should be.

Next, determine where you want to be at the midpoint. This can be useful in measuring progress and seeing where changes may need to be made. When you write out these goals, you don't need to start on the action portion yet. Setting the outcome goals are important steps to take before writing the actual SMART goal. The midpoint is typically the 3 month mark for most people. Let's take a look at the 3 month goals of the trainees mentioned earlier:

Trainee A: "In 3 months I want to have lost 15 pounds."

Trainee B: "By the 3 month mark I want my squat to be up by 30 lbs."

Now we are closer to setting the action steps of our SMART goals. First, though, we need to figure out where we want to be a month in. For Trainee A, that would mean losing 5 pounds. For Trainee B, it would mean adding 10 pounds to his squat. This is important because it is often when you see the first sign that there is an obstacle or behavior that is preventing you from completing your action steps as planned. These may be time constraints preventing you from getting to the gym to do your squats, you may not be losing the weight as steadily as you had hoped due to business trips where you are expected to wine and dine clients, you may just not be eating clean enough or you need to reduce your calories or increase your activity. This is the time where you will tweak your plan and then proceed. This is trial-and-correction, not trial-and-error.

In the Part 2 we will discuss how to set specific SMART goals. This should get you started though. The first step is to decide where you want to go, then your second step is to decide on your course. In Part 2 I will give you the map, but it is up to you to find your route.

For part 2, click here.

Train Smart!