The pleasantries of having no real place to be, no solid commitments and a complete disregard for direction have no place in a bodybuilder’s lifestyle. Everything that must be accomplished in a day is a well thought out plan of attack designed to create a better physique. All that encompasses being a bodybuilder is about setting goals and then putting something together to make those goals happen. That is why planning a road map to physique success is a mandatory component in your bodybuilding endeavors and should never be left to chance.
Take the time, sit down and write out all that you want to accomplish. Once that is done, it’s time to get to work. If you don’t have one already, this article will provide you with a blueprint to get you started on your bodybuilding journey.
Phase One: Goal setting
This is a time to be real with yourself and take notice of all that is good and bad about your physique. You can do this yourself, but it’s always a good idea to have another set of “expert” eyes give you their opinion.
You should be accessing your current condition, your current workouts, and nutrition along with taking a close look at any time frames you may need to work within. If it is a competition you are getting ready for, then you’ll have to be sure to allow yourself enough time to get ready. If you just want to change things up in general and there is no time frame, then patience will be a virtue for you on this quest.
Your goal setting should include the following components to accurately pinpoint exactly what it is you want to achieve, and this is something I use a lot with my clients and also students. It’s called S.M.A.R.T. goal setting.
S = Specific M = Measurable A = Attainable R = Realistic T = Time
Filling out the components of this acronym will certainly put you on a narrowed approach for your training.
Phase Two: Time to get to work
Once you have your plan in place, it’s time to put the work in. This means measuring and counting calories; making sure your macronutrient groups are spread out precisely (percentage wise) for whatever your goals are. Then as you go along, any changes made to your diet should be recorded and also what changes you notice in your physique should be recorded as well.
Next up, a closer look at your resistance and cardio training is needed and probably a change of pace as well. As with any good plan of attack, having a program to follow will ensure you stay on the right path. For this reason, AST Sports Science has offered its valued followers a free, 12-week online training course detailing every aspect of the Max-OT program so that you can benefit exclusively from the insider tips on weight training and also the most efficient way to perform your cardio for maximum fat loss. You can go ahead and develop your own training program if you want, but Max-OT is science proven, gym proven and used by some of the best athletes and bodybuilders out there today.
Phase Three: Deconstruction
Alright, the planning phase was perfect, and all goals were clear. You followed your training and nutrition program to the tee and are ready to re-assess all that you have been doing and all that you have accomplished. Now would be a great time to take a close look at the gains you have made and have another set of “expert” eyes give you their opinion. It’s never a bad idea to have another person with bodybuilding knowledge give you their subjective opinion.
Things you should be looking for will stem from the initial goals you made in the beginning. Did you get bigger? Did you get stronger? Has your body composition changed? Did you achieve what you wanted to in the time frame you gave yourself? These are just a few questions to help you get started, and like I said, this deconstruction phase is a breakdown of what you wanted to accomplish, and what you did accomplish.
Phase Four: New goals and commitments……again!
With every ending comes a new beginning, and this couldn’t be truer in the life of a bodybuilder. There will always be new goals to be set, and new plans to be set in motion. The non-stop battle to get bigger, stronger, leaner and more defined will always be there, and you’ll find yourself over and over again going back to the drawing board to figure things out again. And just when you think you do have it figured out, your body chemistry will change and what you thought you knew worked, doesn’t anymore and you’re left with fabricating new commitments for the new strategies you need to put in place.
If you think of bodybuilding as more of a marathon than a sprint, I think in the end you’ll have more fun doing it and eventually experience more success with it. Being willing to sit down every so often and plan out what you are going to do and what you want to achieve will at the very least give you direction with a purpose. Going into something with no plan at all can work to your advantage sometimes, but any professional I know, whether it is a professional in the bodybuilding world or elsewhere, has always had a plan for success and a clear-cut goal. Be decisive with your planning and leave nothing to chance.
