4%
Is the
number of
people that
actually
achieve the
goals that
they set!
Everyone sets goals
but clearly not many
follow through with
accomplishing their
goals. Try writing
down your inten-
tions instead of your
goals. People find
it easier to stick to
what they intend!
AVOID THE
“SITTING
SYNDROME”
Even if you clear
up time in your
day to workout,
those hours spent
sedentary have
already planted a
ticking time bomb
inside of you.
Research shows
that sitting still for
long periods of time
can increase the risk
for diabetes, heart
disease, obesity and
fatty liver disease.
To fight what we
call the “sitting
syndrome” try
stretching at your
desk or taking the
stairs rather than
the elevator. These
may seem like small
details but they
could literally save
your life.
18 MUSCLE MEMORY
How much off-
season cardio do
bodybuilders do?
Not all body-
builders perform
cardio in the
off-season. Re-
searchers have
found that only
64% of those surveyed used
cardio in the off-season,
and those who did, tended
to perform just one to two
sessions per week. In turn,
despite more recent en-
thusiasm for high-intensity
interval training and uncon-
ventional cardio, 75% did
HIIT interval sessions, 65%
used the cross-
trainer, 53%
walked, and 38%
cycled. So why
would body-
builders perform
cardio in the off-season?
The current findings are
that hypertrophy gains are
actually slightly enhanced
GET SMART
by including
some cardio, and this ap-
pears to be especially true
with respect to cycling and
quadriceps muscularity.
Goal setting is one of the most important skills taught to
athletes in order to help them achieve optimal performance.
The goal-setting process helps athletes understand where they are
currently and also where they want to go. A mental skills training
consultant or sport psychologist can teach an athlete how to set
systematic goals that are focused on the process and performance
rather than focused on the outcome of competition. Athletes need
to distinguish between subjective goals and objective goals. Subjective goals are not related
to a specific performance in sport; these may be related to just going out and trying one’s
best. Objective goals are based on an athlete’s performance. For example, an objective goal of
decreasing time by 2 seconds in the 50-metre freestyle event is focused on what needs to be
done in order to become more successful at a specific sport. This specific objective goal would
then help the athlete be more focused on the task at hand in order to improve technical and
tactical skills. Sport psychologists have found that athletes often set goals that are not specific
and not measurable. Athletes should use the SMART acronym to help set effective goals:
Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, and realistic with a time specific frame.
| AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018