The best way to achieve anything is to set goals. In order to be successful, there needs to be order in how you decide what to pursue and how much time you give yourself to obtain it.
Setting short-term weightlifting goals is a good way to stay on track with reachable deadlines. One of the best methods for setting obtainable goals is by using “SMART goals”- a system that categorizes the different elements of an objective so that you are set up for the best chance of success.
What Are the Aspects of Setting SMART Goals?
These are the aspects of SMART goals and what each letter represents.
- Specific (your weightlifting goal should be narrow and as specific as possible)
- Measurable (your goal needs to be trackable so you know where you are in relation to achieving it)
- Attainable (the goal you have should be realistic for you to accomplish)
- Relevant (the goal you have needs to be aligned with your strengths, overall goals in life, and resources available)
- Time Bound (the goal you have needs to contain a deadline so that you are motivated to work towards it)
If your goals check off all these categories, you will find success easily.
Specific
the first aspect of SMART goals is specificity. A specific goal has a higher chance of being achieved than a vague, ambiguous intention.
If your goal is to “get stronger”, that is going to lead to lesser results than a if your goal is to hit 275 pounds on bench press. This is because specific goals demand specific action which will force you to be more accountable. “Getting stronger” could just require you to improve slightly at any exercise, whereas hitting 275 pounds on bench press requires you to have a good routine, be consistent, apply progressive overload, and take other distinct actions that ensure you will meet that goal.
Measurable
Secondly, your goal needs to be measurable. If your goal is not trackable then you will not know how close you are to success and won’t be able to self-correct so that you stay on course. A goal like “stretch more” or “lose fat” does not have a metric attached to it whereas a goal like “be able to palm the floor in 3 months” is more easily quantified.
The goal of stretching more is a “1” or “0” measurement in that you are either stretching more or you are not. Palming the floor is easier to quantify because you can go from being able to touch your toes to 4 fingers touching the floor to 5 fingers touching the floor and so on. The better you are able to measure your progress, the more rewarding it will be to work on your goal and the likelier you are to meet it.
Attainable
Along with being specific and measurable, your goal should also be attainable. If your goal can not reasonably be done, you will end up quitting and making no progress.
While ambition is good, far-fetched ideas are only worthwhile if you have the ability to attain success to the extent of your goal. If you are currently 140 pounds, for example, bulking up to 200 pounds in 2 months is obviously not realistic and will never be fulfilled. A better goal, instead of bulking up 60 pounds in 2 months, is gaining 2 pounds per week. This is more viable and will give you better chances of actually making progress.
Relevant
Additionally, it is crucial that your goal is relevant to you and your overall life trajectory. Achieving your goal should have positive effects on your life as a whole and help create a positive feedback loop of success, accomplishment, and fulfillment.
If you are not convinced that success in your goal will benefit you, the odds of achieving it are much lower.
The biggest sources of motivation generally are money, health, respect from others, happiness, sex, and quality of life improvement. To be relevant, your goal should be attached to benefits in as many of these categories as possible. If attaining your goal doesn’t elevate your life in any of these ways, you will be disadvantaged and less likely to reach it.
Time Bound
Finally, the goals you have need to be bound in time. All of the weightlifting goals you make should have deadlines.
For example, if you want to gain size, you need to specify how much weight you want to gain and choose a reasonable amount of time that you can logically put on that weight in. If you are bulking, gaining 1-2 pounds per week is a realistic rate of progress so 12 pounds of weight in 6 weeks would be a good goal.
SMART Short-Term Weightlifting Goals Examples
These are some examples of SMART short-term weightlifting goals that fulfill all the requirements of being an intelligent target.
- Deadlift 356 pounds in 3 weeks
- Add ½ inch of size to arms in 5 weeks
- Lose 20 pounds in 2 months
- Gain 4 pounds of muscle in 3 months
- Bench press 225 pounds for 5 reps in 4 weeks
All of these goals are specific and time-bound. Assuming these are reasonable to attain based on your current level, they all could serve as short-term goals weightlifting for you to pursue.
Summary
In brief, creating SMART goals is one of the best methods for achieving success. SMART goals need to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. If when setting your short-term weightlifting goals you can fulfill all these aspects, you are likely to attain them.
For more on lifestyle, goal setting, and training, such as how to write yourself a training program and wether or not you can workout the same muscle everyday, click here.