Training Goals

Last week, I stressed the importance of knowing your nutritional goals when striving to live a life full of physical activity.

As necessary as it is to have nutritional goals, it is just as essential to have TRAINING goals.

Do you want to build muscular endurance? Do you want Hulk-like strength? (I sure do!) Or do you just simply want to look fit?

Despite what some believe, in order to attain any of the goals mentioned above, one simply cannot just walk into a gym and start lifting weights. He or sure must have some sort of PLAN.

First, decide how often you want to be in the gym weekly. Does a three-day full body routine sound appealing or do you prefer to train closer to five days a week with each session emphasizing a different body part (ex: Monday: Chest, Tuesday: Back, Wednesday: Legs, Thursday: Shoulders, Friday: Arms)

Knowing WHEN you want to train is the first step for success.

After figuring out the frequency of your training, it is VITAL to know HOW you want to train. What I mean by this is understanding the set/rep/intensity scheme that goes in tune with your goals.

Here are my recommended training schemes for specific fitness goals:

Strength: 2-6 sets of six repetitions or less (Intensity should be at least 85% of 1-RM). Rest period should be three to five minutes in between sets.

Hypertrophy (Muscular Growth): 3-6 sets of six to 12 repetitions (Intensity should be 67%-85% of 1-RM). Rest period should be 30 seconds to two minutes in between sets.

Endurance: 2-3 sets of at least 12 repetitions (Intensity should be less than 67% of 1-RM). Rest period should be under 30 seconds in between sets.

Having a plan is the first step in achieving anything in life. Now it's time to put in the work. As LeBron tweets regularly, "Strive for Greatness."