“All of the training has paid off. I just caught a case of beer falling off my car with 3 fingers of one hand,” he texted. “It was seriously the most athletic thing I think I’ve ever done in my life.”
After a week of fun yet excruciating weightlifting sessions during our family vacation, my brother was already reaping the benefits of functional training. HA! (But seriously…)
Remember last week when I wrote about recruiting family/friends to join in your workouts? I take my own advice. My brother and I had some serious sibling bonding in the bro-y-ist of Jersey gyms this past week.
Bon Jovi soundtrack, boulder shoulders and chicken legs all around, neon signs encouraging us to enter “beast mode” and to complete “one more rep,” Arnold gazing down at us from his many cover photos prominently plastered on the wall…
One guy actually had zinc sunscreen on his nose throughout his workout.
Once a high school meathead, my brother got back into weightlifting a few months ago. Knowing him, his goal may have legitimately been related to rescuing beer from unfortunate circumstances, but that’s besides the point. (And, if you knew my brother, you’d also know that this is exactly the kind of problem he would face. Don’t ask how.)
The point is: You need a goal. But a goal alone will not suffice. You need a reason, too.
WHAT + WHY = SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS
When you first started your–oh boy, I can’t believe I’m using this phrase–“fitness journey” (heavy emphasis on the quotation marks), you had this. I can’t be sure of the details, but you had the impetus make the plunge. And, chances are, that impetus was effective until either A.) you didn’t make progress fast enough or B.) you met your goal.
That’s why we can’t let our goals and our reasons stagnate. Anyone else having images of the grimy, green, smelly water of the Olympic pool in Rio dancing in their heads? It was described as stinking “like a fart.” The same can be said for aimless wandering towards an undefined end.
Not into fart analogies? Fine. You can’t deny these wise words from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland:
“Cat: Where are you going?
Alice: Which way should I go?
Cat: That depends on where you are going.
Alice: I don’t know.
Cat: Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”
Know where you are going. Know why you are going there. Only then can you determine your path. Once you have determined your destination, don’t be afraid to ask for directions. Ask me. Ask Pat. (Think of us as the jolly grandfatherly fella at the gas station.) OR, join Minimalist Workouts to have step by step directions and workouts delivered to your inbox…It’s practically like using a GPS!
Let’s get started defining our what and why right now.
- What’s your goal? You might have 2 or 3, and that’s fine. Be specific, though. There aren’t too many rules around here, but I will absolutely lay down the law on this one: You cannot have the goal of “getting fitter.” No, sir. That won’t cut it. Here are some examples that pass the test:
- My goal is to lose 10 pounds of fat by October 1.
- My goal is to deadlift twice my bodyweight for 1 rep by December 31.
- My goal is to complete my first 5K on Thanksgiving morning.
- My goal is to make healthy nutritional decisions for 90% of my daily fuel intake.
- Why do you want to achieve this? (Hint: physique-only goals might not have enough backing here.) You need to be really clear on the reason(s) behind your goal. Without a powerful force propelling you toward your achievement, it’s so easy to lose motivation*, to take diversions, to end up on a “scenic route.” Once you have your impetus, write it down. Meditate on it. Possible examples include:
- I want to have the energy to keep up with kids/grandkids.
- I want to be strong enough to help friends move without being useless the next day.
- I want to fight back against my ailments and take control of my health again.
- I want to stop being a victim to my excess weight.
- I want to be able to athletically grab a case of beer when it has begun soaring through the air.
- Constantly reassess. When you reach your goal, define a new one. If you become impatient or experience slow progress, perhaps revise your goal to be achievable in a shorter time period. Perhaps look back at the path you took and make note of any needless detours. Maybe you took some poor advice? Maybe you didn’t trust your GPS?
If your goal is to burn fat and boost energy, won’t you join me?
5-Minute Sweaty
Timer set for 30 seconds x 10:
30 s tuck jump (like a squat jump but pulling up your legs into a tucked position on each jump)
30 s plank with shoulder taps
30 s bodyweight squat
30 s plank with shoulder taps
30 s tuck jump
30 s plank with shoulder taps
30 s bodyweight squat
30 s plank with shoulder taps
60 s plank mountain climbers
– Alyssa