Train for your target…

I communicate with a lot of different people over a lot of different mediums about training and exercise. One of the ways I communicate with people is through Twitter. One of the most common tweets I see on Twitter about exercise is people asking for a workout or people asking others what workout they are using to get the results they are getting.

I can understand people wanting to get some information or a training routine which has helped someone else but there is one huge factor that people are forgetting. That is themselves. Everyone is different. The training plan that worked for someone else may not work for you. In fact, it may get you the reverse results you want. Let me take a step back for a minute.

Set your goals

Exercise is not a one size fits all kind of deal. What one person is capable of getting through in a workout may be too easy or too hard for another. The chances that it is just right for you too are fairly minimal. You may get a great workout from someone but it may be completely outside what you need to reach your fitness goals.

Whenever I see a tweet that asks the Twittersphere in general for workout ideas or a gym routine I always have the same piece of advice. Start with writing down your goals and then work from there. This may seem like a cop out or like I don’t want to give away workout advice, but if you follow me regularly on Facebook or Instagram you know that this is not the case. I regularly post workouts that we complete in our group sessions for free. I am simply trying to help people to get into the right mindset in order to reach their goals.

Plan workouts and nutrition

In order to know where to start, you have to know where you are heading. If you want to burn fat you will need a specific type of workout and nutrition plan. This will differ from a plan designed if you want to build maximum strength or muscle mass. These are important distinctions to make and it is something that often the general public do not think about. They just see the end result on Instagram or Facebook and assume that they can simply follow the same workout and get similar results – this is not always so.

Stay SMART

So before I start to ramble on about this I have just a few simple pieces of advice. Firstly write down goals, and make them SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Framed). Then work backwards from there and decide what you need to do in order to get to them. My advice is to see a qualified professional and ask them to help you with this. You don’t necessarily need to see a trainer weekly, but at least consult with them first for some guidance in setting up a plan that will work for you in the long run and help you reach your targets in the most effective and efficient way possible. 

Always train for your target.
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