2016 is here! It’s the start of a new year and that means new goals! The new year is a  great starting block to improving yourself and reaching any goals you may have. We have previously posted an article on goal setting by our head coach Amelia which you should all check out first–

AMELIA’S ARTLICE

Goal setting is only the first step. The hard part comes after you have set your goals! This article is here to provide you with tips for staying on top of and achieving your goals:

BE CONSISTENT

Bad habits are easy to form but difficult to live with and good habits are difficult to form but easy to live with. Start 2016 off by building good habits through consistency, routine and patience. Want to do 3 sessions a week? Then do it. Find a way. Set alarms, organize your time and go for it! Be patient and let your body get used to it and soon 3 sessions will be a normal habit. Who knows it could even turn in to 4 or 5 sessions!

TALK TO YOUR COACH

Always talk to your coach! Tell us your goals. Explain everything to us. We are here to help your reach your goals no matter what. There is nothing more exciting as a coach than to see people coming in early and putting in the hard work before and after class. Ask your coach for any advice whether it’s a progression for a movement, a mobility exercise or any questions on nutrition or lifestyle! Having someone there to communicate with and keep you accountable is vital and will hopefully help you keep your goals on track.

BUILD THE FOUNDATIONS

With any movement in Crossfit, you need to build a solid foundation. Remember the first time you snatched? Spending weeks with a PVC pipe and a barbell learning technique? That was to build a solid base and to get your body ready before loading weight on the bar.

Want to get your first muscle up? Instead of just jumping up onto the rings and trying to do a muscle ups for 30 minutes…spend time increasing your pulling strength with strict pullups and improving your technique with muscle up transition drills. Building the foundations and working hard on the movements will help you get closer to your goals!

STAY HEALTHY AND INJURY FREE

This seems so simple but it can be one of the hardest parts. With more training and hard work comes a greater need for recovery. Nothing will put a stop to your goals quicker than an injury. Train smart, train hard, move well and look after your body when you’re not training.

As coaches we know that sometimes life can get a bit crazy but you should always find the time recover. Take time to work on your nutrition, make sure you get quality sleep and spend time stretching and mobilizing. Give your body everything it needs so you can stay healthy and be able to keep working towards your goals.

SACRIFICE

If you want something you’ve never had before then you’ve got to do something you’ve never done before. This is the part not many people will tell you about. Want to reach your goals? Nothing beats hard work and commitment. If you want the best from yourself then there may have to be some early mornings, late nights and time spent doing the extra work. Want to get to those 3 sessions a week? Don’t ignore your alarm, get up and stick your goals. All the effort will be worth it when you reach your goals!

So…don’t be that person that makes a list of goals and then forgets about them! Use the new year as a starting point. Set your goals and go after them no matter what it takes!

About the Author:

Coach Adam is a CrossFit Coach and specialist Strength and Conditioning Coach.

He holds a degree in Exercise Science with a Masters in Strength & Conditioning.