Little advice on goal setting iro weights please?
ransaka
Posts: 135 Member
tl;dr
Fat bloke getting slim, has fat loss targets, novice lifter, would like weight lifting targets for weight to shift in compound moves during a set for same timeframe, has no clue what is realistic and achievable.
This is probably a case of how long is a piece of string but,
I've got my weight (fat loss) goal for this year sorted out (currently 223, aiming for 182 by the end of August which I think is realistic and achievable at 39lbs over 34 weeks from last Sunday).
I've been lifting on and off for the last year or so, not in any regular manner sadly and totally not in any sensible informed way. I also go to a fitness class 2 to 3 times per week which is halfway between circuit training and crossfit but with focus on good from rather than how many reps you can bang out. Still gets my heart rate right up.
I want to focus on lifting as I rather enjoy it, have a couple of programmes that I'm browsing through, one that was recommended by Sidesteel last year co-authored by Alan Aragon & Lou Schuler and one that was suggested by Layne Norton written by Michael Matthews. Up to this point I've been using Lou and Alan's programme and will probably continue to do so for the foreseeable future but make sure I commit to doing it regular as clockwork.
I'd like to set some goals to coincide with my fat loss ones in terms of a weight that I can do for a full set of 6-8 reps. Thing is I have little idea of what might be achievable as my lifting to date has been far too sporadic.
All of these are either 6 reps for 4 sets or 8-10 reps for 3 sets depending on the day, generally 4 sets of 6 for Bench and Shoulder, 3sets 8-10 (and I usually try for the 10 because I'm a moron) for deadlifts and squats.
Currently I can bench 110lbs and it's a challenge, but not impossible, to rack the bar on the last rep of the last set.
Shoulder press is pathetic 66lbs and I'll be honest, the last set my form starts to go to *kitten* halfway through so I should probably deload a bit until I'm happy with it.
Squat, meh, can manage 88 on a good day and the last rep of the last set is utter torture and I'm glad it's over.
Deadlifts I love more than anything else for some reason and I'm currently able to lift 190 but it's damn hard on the last set.
So, hardly Arnie weight but I have no idea what to aim for in the time period stated. Due to the horribly erratic nature that got me to the weights above I can't figure a sensible target to aim for with regular, committed training.
Would it be better to wait to see how I progress for a month and then make an educated guess at a good target for the end of August or can someone offer some sage advice?
Goals for this year are important for me, last year was the first time I set one and actually committed to it (did a Spartan Race) and it forced me to get up and get on with it when I didn't feel like it that day.
This year I've decided that I've gotten so into the idea of health, fitness and exercise that I'm off to an open evening at the end of the month to consider studying for a PT qualification. Can't be a PT unless you can walk the walk as well as talk the talk so have to commit to being lean, healthy, knowledgeable and proactive.
So, I have a goal I can't just back out of and will look like the world's largest tool if I do.
Sorry, that was very rambling.
Fat bloke getting slim, has fat loss targets, novice lifter, would like weight lifting targets for weight to shift in compound moves during a set for same timeframe, has no clue what is realistic and achievable.
This is probably a case of how long is a piece of string but,
I've got my weight (fat loss) goal for this year sorted out (currently 223, aiming for 182 by the end of August which I think is realistic and achievable at 39lbs over 34 weeks from last Sunday).
I've been lifting on and off for the last year or so, not in any regular manner sadly and totally not in any sensible informed way. I also go to a fitness class 2 to 3 times per week which is halfway between circuit training and crossfit but with focus on good from rather than how many reps you can bang out. Still gets my heart rate right up.
I want to focus on lifting as I rather enjoy it, have a couple of programmes that I'm browsing through, one that was recommended by Sidesteel last year co-authored by Alan Aragon & Lou Schuler and one that was suggested by Layne Norton written by Michael Matthews. Up to this point I've been using Lou and Alan's programme and will probably continue to do so for the foreseeable future but make sure I commit to doing it regular as clockwork.
I'd like to set some goals to coincide with my fat loss ones in terms of a weight that I can do for a full set of 6-8 reps. Thing is I have little idea of what might be achievable as my lifting to date has been far too sporadic.
All of these are either 6 reps for 4 sets or 8-10 reps for 3 sets depending on the day, generally 4 sets of 6 for Bench and Shoulder, 3sets 8-10 (and I usually try for the 10 because I'm a moron) for deadlifts and squats.
Currently I can bench 110lbs and it's a challenge, but not impossible, to rack the bar on the last rep of the last set.
Shoulder press is pathetic 66lbs and I'll be honest, the last set my form starts to go to *kitten* halfway through so I should probably deload a bit until I'm happy with it.
Squat, meh, can manage 88 on a good day and the last rep of the last set is utter torture and I'm glad it's over.
Deadlifts I love more than anything else for some reason and I'm currently able to lift 190 but it's damn hard on the last set.
So, hardly Arnie weight but I have no idea what to aim for in the time period stated. Due to the horribly erratic nature that got me to the weights above I can't figure a sensible target to aim for with regular, committed training.
Would it be better to wait to see how I progress for a month and then make an educated guess at a good target for the end of August or can someone offer some sage advice?
Goals for this year are important for me, last year was the first time I set one and actually committed to it (did a Spartan Race) and it forced me to get up and get on with it when I didn't feel like it that day.
This year I've decided that I've gotten so into the idea of health, fitness and exercise that I'm off to an open evening at the end of the month to consider studying for a PT qualification. Can't be a PT unless you can walk the walk as well as talk the talk so have to commit to being lean, healthy, knowledgeable and proactive.
So, I have a goal I can't just back out of and will look like the world's largest tool if I do.
Sorry, that was very rambling.
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Replies
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I wouldn't set any specific weight lifting goals. Just get leaner and stronger. Follow your program, especially the deloads. I (like many I'm afraid) have learned to take a deload per program recommendations rather than when you "think" you need to. If you deload when you think you need to, you probably should have deloaded a week sooner. Don't push yourself for 1 more rep and let your form suffer. Your last rep should be with the same form as your first and you should still feel like you could do another rep or 2 with good form.0
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Some people (like me) are very goal oriented so I understand completely but this early in the game it's something that's really hard to gauge. When you're a novice lifter you get stronger so quickly that estimating strength gains for a certain time frame is pretty difficult. At this level you should be making PR's on a monthly basis at least, if not a weekly basis (or hell, every workout in a SL-style program).
You could try working towards specific large milestone (one plate, two plates, etc) like a 135lb overhead press, 225lb bench, etc.. Those are always nice achievements. If you're looking for more long-term goals I've always liked the tried-and-true 3/4/5 rule (300lb bench, 400lb squat, 500lb deadlift) which almost any average male should be able to hit within say, 3-5 years.0 -
8-DIf you're looking for more long-term goals I've always liked the tried-and-true 3/4/5 rule (300lb bench, 400lb squat, 500lb deadlift) which almost any average male should be able to hit within say, 3-5 years.
dafuq kinda average male do you know like that? lol
males are on average between 69 and 70 inches tall (5'7″ and 5'8″) and weigh somewhere between 148 and 160 pounds"
3/4/5 at 160lbs would be advanced/elite.
Anyway, maybe shoot for 1/2/3 X 5, then 2/3/4 maxes.
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more long-term goals I've always liked the tried-and-true 3/4/5 rule (300lb bench, 400lb squat, 500lb deadlift) which almost any average male should be able to hit within say, 3-5 years.
I also think those numbers are a bit aggressive. Probably obtainable for most people but I'd say anyone reaching those numbers in 3-5 years is doing quite well.
Probably also good to clarify that this would be someone training for strength during that time frame.
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_benjammin wrote: »
8-DIf you're looking for more long-term goals I've always liked the tried-and-true 3/4/5 rule (300lb bench, 400lb squat, 500lb deadlift) which almost any average male should be able to hit within say, 3-5 years.
dafuq kinda average male do you know like that? lol
males are on average between 69 and 70 inches tall (5'7″ and 5'8″) and weigh somewhere between 148 and 160 pounds"
3/4/5 at 160lbs would be advanced/elite.
Anyway, maybe shoot for 1/2/3 X 5, then 2/3/4 maxes.
Where did you get that info? Just curious. I was going by average US male so I'm guessing yours is more of a worldwide standard. Average US male is 5'10 and around 200lbs. I think 3/4/5 is reasonable for most men given these stats, especially when I've seen the number of prominent coaches that support the same general guideline. I mean crap, if I can do it with low testosterone in around 3 years then I feel like anyone should be able to.
Of course, we're talking strength-oriented individuals but that was the question, wasn't it?0 -
Btw, one of the better strength standard articles I've read is here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/strong-strength-standards-raw-natural-lifters
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Thanks very much for the input all and thanks for the article link, that's really useful. I shall simply see how I get on I think and once I'm 6 months in I'll look at where I want to be within a year and set myself some targets from there.0
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Btw, one of the better strength standard articles I've read is here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/strong-strength-standards-raw-natural-lifters
I like this one0 -
Btw, one of the better strength standard articles I've read is here: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/strong-strength-standards-raw-natural-lifters
I like this one
Holy crap - I'm almost STRONG!!
FWIW i'm turning 48, 5'10 around 215, been lifting for about 2.5 years, and have recent training maxes of bench 225 2RM, squat 380 2x3RM, deadlift 350 3x2RM.0 -
I came darn close to 300-400-500 (285-475-425 for me), though those were my peak numbers from the summer and are considerably lower today since I haven't been lifting uber-heavy for a while now.
Although in my personal experience, I found a bigger satisfaction from the visual nature of adding complete large plates to the bar rather than any specific number. For example, the day I benched 225 (two plates per side) meant more than when I benched 285; squatting 315 (three plates) and 405 (four plates) was more satisfying than hitting 475.0
