by Linh Nguyen, PTA, CPT, Senior Fitness Specialist

Setting goals takes patience, mental resilience, and consistency. Not too long ago, I decided to attempt the Heaviest Sumo Deadlift world record in one minute for females. However, my decision wasn’t a hasty one, and I am where I am today because of goal setting.

My practices extend far beyond the gym walls so my intent for this blog is to encourage others to grow through setting goals. As human beings, we are meant to excel. If we do the same thing year after year, we go on autopilot and hit a plateau, which is why I believe setting goals can give us a new perspective to improve. 

So whether you find one or several advices through this blog, I hope to inspire you to further your goals. 

A Little Bit About Me

Throughout my entire life, I was fairly active and played a lot of recreational sports such as basketball, volleyball, golf, softball, paintball, and track and field.

As I grow older, I realize my body cannot take on these kinds of sports. However, I want to continue to stay in good shape, so about six years ago, I started to bring my training into the gym, which is where I was introduced to deadlifting. 

Why I Decided to Attempt a World Record

I have been working on breaking the state deadlift record since last Summer, which I will compete in late August. It wasn’t until the beginning of this year that I was inspired by a fellow deadlift-enthusiast who attempted the Heaviest sumo deadlift in one hour for males. 

I did some research on deadlift world records for females and found that breaking a Guinness World Record was within my reach. So I thought, “why not?”

How to Set Goals

I set what the industry professionals call a SMART goal: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time. Since my initial goal is to break the Colorado state deadlift record, I’ll break down the steps on how I am reaching goal. 

Write Down Your Goals

I set physical reminders of my goal on my phone and on sticky notes placed inside my work locker as well as my closet at home. Here’s what I write down:

“I will break the Colorado state deadlift record in the 57kg class on March 21st, 2020 (postponed to late August), by pulling 3x my body weight at 369lbs.”

It’s Never too Early to Train

I know breaking a record takes months to prepare, so I started training in the Summer of 2019. In January 2020, I started my powerlifting cycle to really prep for the Colorado state deadlift competition in March (now rescheduled to late August). 

However, like any significant goal, it can be daunting. This is where establishing mini-goals and creating habits can be a massive help in achieving any long term goal. 

A Breakdown of Setting Mini-Goals

Starting my powerlifting cycle is when I really began to hone in on my mini-goals. My internal mini-goals include working on: 

• Small muscle groups
• Small movements in multiple directions
• Accessory exercises to compliment the deadlift movement. 

Then there are the external factors, which make the bulk of my mini-goals. Here’s what I do:

• I program my workout for a month at a time and graph my progress. Every week the intensity increase either in volume or weight. I make an effort to hit my numbers for the week and evaluate how my body adjusts to the weight, so I can adapt for the following week.
• I make sure I deadlift a minimum of three times a week, no matter what.
• I apply my (elaborate) warmup drills every time I lift to ensure I am adequately warmed up.
• I make it a habit to log my calories, so I can stay within my competition weight class, a max of 125lbs. Because of how much I lift, I know I need more food and energy, but I had to make sure I didn’t go over the max weight, or it will be gruesome to cut it right before my competition.
• I increase my supplement intake to ensure my body recovers properly. I take multivitamins, fish oil, and turmeric.
• I go over my lifts the night before, so I know what I need to hit when I work out the next day. It is a lot of mental focus and structure – I tend to do well with this.
• I start my mornings by listening to motivational and uplifting speeches, which puts my mindset in the right place.
• Finally, I listen to my body. If I ever need to recover earlier in the week, I adjust my scheduel to prevent myself from getting severe injuries.

Fell off the Wagon?

There have definitely been tough times during my progression. 

Somedays, I can’t lift my goal weight and somedays I don’t feel like spending more time in the gym because it’s also my full-time job. I may not get enough sleep on noight, or my body is sore from the previous day of heavy lifting. More often than that, I dread doing my warmup routine because of how long it takes, and there are times I am influenced by people’s moods, and I don’t want to lift anymore. 

However, I overcome all these difficulties because of my positive mindset, which did take time for me to develop. I contribute my positivity from reading personal development books and listening to motivational speeches of people (speficially athletes) who achieved great things from nothing. 

Many of them echo a similar belief that reaching a goal takes mental strength. Most importantly, we have to let go of the things we cannot control and learn to focus on the things we can control. 

Adapting to change and being ok with adjusting is necessary for reaching a goal as well. For example, my strength varies day-to-day, so I can be weaker today and stronger tomorrow. If I can’t lift my goal weight today, well, it surely wouldn’t kill me to lower the weight or decrease the intensity for the day. 

Letting go of my ego when I get frustrated helps me move forward. It’s all about shifting the mindset. I am in control of my situation, patience teaches me to appreciate, and adjustments keep me engaged. 

My Takeaways

Setting goals has made my deadlift training possible and there are many takeaways from this particular experience.

• I have to fail a lot to succeed, so I know what to do when the same problem arises again. 
• I am open to taking advice from others to perfect my lifts, engage my muscles properly, and be mindful of what goes through my head when I am about to lift.
• I take care of my body by listening to it during my training, so I do not get injured. It’s common for people to quit because of an injury. In reality, it’s about letting go of our ego and controlling what you can control. If we take steps to learn a little more about our bodies, acute injuries will be dramatically decreased! 
• Don’t rely on instant gratification because we all start somewhere. Being patient and consistent is vital because long-term goals are attainable over time, not right away.
• Setting goals and being open to adjusting over time is more helpful than hurtful.
• Approach what you know by relearning your craft from scratch. You’ll build an even stronger foundation and have more appreciation.

If you need help setting goals to better your overall health and finess, contact me through the fitness center, and I’ll be happy to help.