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Home > The FITSPRO Podcast > 096 | 5 Performance Goals to Focus on During Workouts
Podcast: The FITSPRO Podcast
Episode:

096 | 5 Performance Goals to Focus on During Workouts
Category: Health
Duration: 00:17:16
Publish Date: 2020-11-24 05:00:03
Description: It’s pretty well known that I am not against aesthetic goals, but my focus is more so on performance goals, awareness and education. Not that aesthetics and all of these other motivators can’t coexist. They absolutely can. I am simply saying aesthetics aren’t my selling point. Also, if some other things are in check, like nutrition, sleep and stress management, I’d argue that if focusing on these 5 things, you’ll likely make some desired aesthetic changes. So, let’s get started on those performance goals... When you enter the gym, or approach your workout, you ARE thinking about something. You have a focus, whether you realize it or not. This episode is geared toward helping you define that focus a bit more. To find some clear direction for your mental game during lifts. And yes, this takes energy. Some days it is just nice to go through the motions. I get that. But going through motions day to day isn’t likely what you want. You want to create these little performance goals or focus for yourself. Number 1 is most obvious and probably most common when people think of performance goals. 1.) Increase weight In one lift, in all your lifts, increase load. In one set of one lift. That will all depend on the program you’re following. So like I said that can be an over all increase, per set, or whatever makes sense for your programming and progression. It’s very easy to become stagnant and just get used to using 135 for squats or what have you. Even if it’s throwing on some 2.5’s, increase the weight and challenge yourself. If you can’t complete the set or it’s too much, big deal. Drop back down. We can’t gauge strength if we never take her for a spin. You want to gain muscle, “get toned” or get stronger, you need to be pushing your strength and mechanical tension. That also doesn’t mean max out. Don’t get that twisted. But it does mean challenge yourself. And increase some weights if you haven’t in a minute. Next up is very under-practiced, and honestly not talked about enough. 2.) Focus on your breathing During sets, before sets, between sets, and certainly if you’re doing cardio. Breath work is beneficial outside of lifting as well. Lord knows I should work on it more. In the seasons when I have, I see a positive carryover to sleep, training, and overall stress. As far as lifting goes, do you know how to breathe into your diaphragm? To breath in a 360 degree fashion? To “fill your stomach and back” with air? Before trying to “fix” anything in your next lift, just start by paying attention. How do you breath? Is it into your chest? Shallow? You feel pretty good about it? Can you use it to bring down your heart rate between sets? Yes, I’m talking about lifting. Not just cardio intervals. So, breathing is number 2. Performance goals here could be anything pertaining to what you have observed about your current breathing patterns. Number three is also one that I feel most people don’t even have in their program, and certainly don’t pay attention to if they’re winging their workouts... 3.) Rest periods Stick to them! Rest periods, or lack thereof, are important. Try me. Do the same workout with no scheduled rest periods, with long rest periods and with short rest periods. TELL ME IT DOESN’T MATTER. It does. And it definitely matters if you want to gain muscle, or get strong. I’ve post this on the gram, and talked about in other episodes, but different rest periods will do different things for you. Longer rest is typical for strength and power work. As your metabolic systems need time to recover. Short rest periods, under or around 30 seconds, are going to give you that “pump” - essentially you’re pumping blood and fluid to the muscle and it’s not able to drain as fast as you’re pumping it in. VIOLA, the pump. This is also why your pump dissipates a few hours after your lift. Not telling you want rest periods to USE,
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