Do you need a goal in fitness?

[Ampresus]

A week ago I talked to an ex-bodybuilder. He said that his goal was to become one again, while at the same time helping a friend out with losing weight. He asked me what my goal was, with which I responded that I don’t have one. I just want to be healthy, decently athletic. My first goal was losing weight and I achieved that a long time ago. Now I just wanna stay in shape. He responded with that one cannot really NOT have a goal in fitness. He explained that he himself started around my age, and slowly built up to become the bodybuilder he wanted to be (although he made some mistakes like lifting weights just to brag).

If an ex-bodybuilder says you need a goal, it really can leave one confused. What do you guys think? Maybe I should try to lower my fat percentage a bit more, 20% is still something I suppose.

[Leo Gura]

Don't take bodybuilders too seriously. They tend to be an overly vain bunch with their materialistic goals.

In the end, you will hit a point where you just want to maintain your health. You can't be hitting bodybuilding goals forever.

At some point your goal should be to just have an enjoyable healthy workout.

There's really nowhere to go once you drop all those vain bodybuilding goals.

Goals can be great at the beginning though, if you need to lose some weight or just getting into the hobby. Of course you can have goals to build up certain muscle groups or whatever. But you can't keep raising your goals forever. Nor is that even desirable.

After 10-15 years of non-stop gym work, I gave up on the whole notion of fitness goals. It's a waste of energy which you should be channeling into your spiritual work. Moderate exercise is all that anyone needs once they are at a healthy weight and eating properly.

You might even want to replace gym with hatha yoga at some point.

[LfcCharlie4]

Goals can be very helpful as Leo said for the first decade, but more than anything do something you really enjoy. 
 

if you enjoy weight training, do it, but if you don’t it’ll be hard to keep up long term, along with weight training for more overal health id also say add some form of cardio whether that’s something like running or a sport. In sports goals are slightly easier, same as running as you’ll always have something to work towards each season/ event etc. 
 

Diet is the most important thing, and bodybuilders often destroy their bodies with steroids and excess foods that aren’t always good for them. So be careful with getting too big unless that’s your goal and it isn’t health. 
 

I guess it’s also important to set your overall goals and intentions of training and your fitness as everyone is very different. 
 

like for me I want to build a decent amount of muscle but stay lean and increase my cardio vascular fitness to help improve my sporting ability. I also am always looking to optimise my health and diet, so recently I’ve taken up running, regular sauna and steam room and intermittent fasting. Currently I’m “cutting” to shed excess fat before a fairly long gaining period, that will be slow and steady. 
 

whereas, for you your original goals could be very different, you said about reducing body fat, so basically set out your long term goals and intentions and then go from there really. 
 

but as Leo said as well the biggest thing is enjoying your exercise, do something you love, do it fully and enjoy how beautiful exercise can be  

[LfcCharlie4]

Just wanted to add if you aren't looking to get huge, and kinda want to be lean but muscular I'd recommend checking out Kinobody's programs, they're very 'minimalistic' I literally train 3 days a week for like 40 mins, most bodybuilders would cringe at that. But, the focus is on compound movements and reverse pyramid training, you have to look past Greg being a marketing machine lol, but his training is awesome not gonna lie. 

It also means Weight Training takes up like 3 hours max a week, and that gives you plenty of time for other fitness and the rest of your life of course, that's exactly why I love it, I don't want to spend 6 days a week 1 hour+ each day in the Gym personally. 

This is his YT channel- https://www.youtube.com/user/gog9/videos

[Nahm]

@Ampresus

What’s the goal for? 

It’s a thought, and underlying it, is a belief in feeling better upon achieving the goal. 

Exercise in and of itself feels amazing. 

Happiness is only here, now. 

Happiness is always readily available, always here, now. 

Dropping body fat % is wonderful, amazing feelings, crazy awesome clarity....and the doing of it is equally enjoyable, the journey of it is just as sweet, lovable and enjoyable, as the outcome. 

Just a thought....an elliptical (with resistance  settings), a phone, wireless earbuds, and an iPad...rock your tunes and your body while reading your nondual theory or what have you...brain absorbs like crazy in such a state...and the body releases stuff wonderfully in second, third, fourth winds. 

Motive - ation reveals Inspire-ation.

Response-ability and loving it goes through the roof. 

[Meetjoeblack]

Without any goal, its rudderless. 

[LfcCharlie4]

@Nahm I get what you mean with this and totally agree, however, In terms of motivation and training dedication it can really help to have a goal from my experience, it just kind of adds to your intensity and gives you something to work for, it doesn’t have to be that the goal will make you happy, just that this is the project you are working on say. 
 

It’s like in business, or in a team sport, if you don’t have a goal you’re working towards you can easily lose track, lose motivation etc 

However, I certainly agree that the focus should be on the doing in the now, as that’s all that’s ever experienced and on actually enjoying the exercise as the joy is always in the journey. 
 

it may sound “stage orange” or “low consciousness” or maybe it’s healthy integration of orange, but I have found in many endeavours of life goals can help keep you on track when used correctly in many endeavours of life  

[Nahm]

@LfcCharlie4 I agree. Can be useful for sure. 

[Deezeetho]

On 24/01/2020 at 3:14 AM, Ampresus said:

If an ex-bodybuilder says you need a goal, it really can leave one confused. What do you guys think? Maybe I should try to lower my fat percentage a bit more, 20% is still something I suppose.

You want to aim for something. It's not ideal to spin your wheels. Have a goal. Choose a smart goal. Be specific  measurable. Accurate. Reliable. Timely. Lose weight or a goal PR.

[Deezeetho]

On 24/01/2020 at 5:41 AM, Leo Gura said:

Don't take bodybuilders too seriously. They tend to be an overly vain bunch with their materialistic goals.

In the end, you will hit a point where you just want to maintain your health. You can't be hitting bodybuilding goals forever.

At some point your goal should be to just have an enjoyable healthy workout.

There's really nowhere to go once you drop all those vain bodybuilding goals.

Goals can be great at the beginning though, if you need to lose some weight or just getting into the hobby. Of course you can have goals to build up certain muscle groups or whatever. But you can't keep raising your goals forever. Nor is that even desirable.

After 10-15 years of non-stop gym work, I gave up on the whole notion of fitness goals. It's a waste of energy which you should be channeling into your spiritual work. Moderate exercise is all that anyone needs once they are at a healthy weight and eating properly.

You might even want to replace gym with hatha yoga at some point.

Winners focus on winning. 

I am a huge Schwarzenegger fan. I read his memoir. He deemed everything in life comes down to reps. There's a significant amount of ego and obsession required to achieve but it is a requirement for success. There's a quote in the memoir discussing the run for governor of cali. 

"In my mind, I already won." #fire

I don't see bodybuilding as functional. I still aporeciate it and value it. Personally, I prefer calisthenics and body weight excuses. I like kettlebell training, bar work, muscle ups, gymnastic rings, martial arts, and yoga. My father taught me not to admire the physique but the mindset that achieved. 

[Hansu]

4 hours ago, Deezeetho said:

 

I am a huge Schwarzenegger fan. I read his memoir. He deemed everything in life comes down to reps. There's a significant amount of ego and obsession required to achieve but it is a requirement for success. There's a quote in the memoir discussing the run for governor of cali.

https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/arnold-schwarzenegger-wants-to-throw-up-when-he-looks-at-himself-in-the-mirror

 

“When I look in the mirror, I throw up,” Schwarzenegger told Cigar Aficionado for its January issue, the Daily Mail reported. “And I was already so critical of myself, even when I was in top physical shape. I’d look in the mirror after I won one Mr. Olympia after another and think, ‘How did this pile of shit win?’”

Imagine being 69 year old and still hating your own body

Edited February 7, 2020 by Hansu