Settings, Goals, Assessing Fitness, and Training Safely

Setting Goals

How to set SMART goals — specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely — that turn vague intentions into a concrete kettlebell training plan you can actually follow.

Goals Are Your Compass

A ship would never set sail without a definite destination — otherwise it would just wander the oceans endlessly.

Goals work like the ship's compass: they define a destination for all your hard work and effort and help you set up the right map or plan for your success.

From Idea to Goal

All of us have ideas about what we want to do, have, or become. "I want to lose weight" or "I want to look good in my bikini" are ideas about something — but they are not goals.

A goal is more than an idea. A goal starts as an idea and then goes through steps to take it from the world of ideas into the world of results. Aiming toward a goal also provides the motivation to actually achieve it.

Without goals, there is no plan and no purpose for your hard work. You would just be navigating the sea of kettlebell exercises without any realistic chance of arriving at your destination. Why leave things to chance when a bit of time spent identifying and committing to some tangible goals will get you there faster and more reliably?

The SMART Framework

A helpful acronym to consider when creating goals is SMART.

Specific

Clear and unambiguous — no vague, noncommittal statements.

Measurable

Definite criteria you can use to track your progress.

Attainable

Within reach — challenging, but not extreme or impossible.

Relevant

Worthwhile to you — something you genuinely believe in.

Timely

Tied to a specific deadline that creates urgency.

There is some variance in how SMART goals are stated. The A can also stand for "achievable" and the R for "realistic." Don't get hung up on the exact words — focus on what each one is asking of you.

Specific

The first word in the acronym emphasizes the need for a specific goal. The goal has to be clear and unambiguous, without the vagueness of noncommittal statements. Specific goals offer more clarity and are much more likely to be accomplished than general goals because specificity gives substance and accuracy to your vision.

When your goal is clear and specific, with a definite time set for accomplishing it, you will know what is expected, and you can use the specific result as motivation. When a goal is vague — "to lose weight" — it has little motivational value.

A clear, specific goal:"I will train with kettlebells 3 days each week for 30 minutes per session and lose 20 pounds (9 kg) by the first of June."

The W Questions

In setting specific goals, you have to be able to answer the W questions:

Measurable

The second word in SMART, measurable, points out the necessity of establishing definite criteria for measuring your progress. If your goal cannot be measured, you have no way of knowing if you are making progress toward its successful completion.

When you measure your progress, it helps you to stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the excitement of accomplishments that motivate you to make the sustained effort necessary to reach your final goal.

A measurable goal answers questions like:

How much?

How many?

How will I know when it's done?

Worked exampleFor the goal "I will train 3 days per week for 30 minutes per session and lose 20 pounds (9 kg) by the first of June," you answer:

How much? — 3 days per week
How many? — 20 pounds (9 kg)
When will I know? — by the first of June

You may decide to weigh yourself once per week and lose an average of 4 pounds (1.8 kg) per month over 5 months. All of these processes can be clearly measured.

Attainable

The third word in the acronym focuses on goals that are attainable. They have to be likely to achieve. An attainable goal may challenge you to push yourself in order to achieve it; however, the goal is not extreme or out of reach for your current level.

A goal that once seemed too far out of reach will start moving closer. With some dedicated and consistent effort, you can accomplish it.

Goals should not be too farfetched or too easy. A goal that is too difficult makes success unlikely. A goal that is too easy or doesn't require much effort will not be meaningful to you.

There is a relationship between the difficulty of a goal and performance of a task. Specific and challenging goals lead to better performance than unclear or easy goals. Difficult goals are more motivating than easy goals because there is a greater sense of accomplishment when you achieve something you had to work hard for.

By listing your goals, you build the self-esteem and confidence needed to achieve them. Once you determine which goals are most important to you, you'll start to find ways to bring them to life. You'll begin to see yourself as worthy of owning these goals and acquire the successful traits that allow you to achieve them.

A goal that is attainable will often cause you to identify previously overlooked possibilities and bring you closer to the realization of your goals. You will be able to attain almost any goal you set for yourself if you plan your steps well and establish a time frame that enables you to accomplish each step along the way.

A goal that is attainable answers the question: "How can the goal be accomplished?"

Relevant

The fourth word in the acronym states the need for making your goals relevant. Relevant goals focus on objectives that you are willing and able to work toward. The goal can be lofty as long as you have a strong belief that it is possible for you to reach it.

If you believe the goal can be accomplished, it is relevant for you. Perhaps you've accomplished something similar in the past — if so, you can be sure your current goal is also relevant.

Ask yourself what conditions would need to be present in order for you to accomplish your goal. We are all motivated by achievement, and you will place value on your goal according to the significance of what you expect to accomplish. If you know that you will be well rewarded by your efforts, you will be highly motivated to follow the program until you realize the goal.

Relevant Means Realistic

For a goal to be relevant, it also has to be realistic. If you truly believe you can accomplish it, then it is realistic for you.

Start where you are

If it currently takes you 12 minutes to run 1 mile (1.6 km), it is not realistic to set a 5-minute mile as an immediate goal.

Set the next reachable target

A goal of running a mile in 10 minutes is certainly within your reach if you put in the work over the next several months.

Layer in new realistic goals

Once you accomplish that, set a new realistic goal: 8 minutes, then 7 minutes, then 6 minutes.

Earn the lofty target

If you can run a mile in 6 minutes, then setting a goal of a 5-minute mile may now be realistic.

Try to always keep your goals in the context of where you are now. A relevant goal answers an important question: "Does this seem worthwhile?"

Strike the right balance. If a goal is too easy, your effort won't be meaningful. If a goal is too difficult, you'll fail — and failing may be even more demotivating than setting a goal that's too easy.Human beings have an innate need for success and achievement, and are most motivated by goals that are challenging but realistic.

Timely

The fifth word in the acronym, timely, emphasizes the need to qualify your goal to be accomplished within a specific time frame by giving a date of completion.

A commitment to a deadline helps you focus your energy on completion of the goal by that date. This aspect of SMART goals serves the purpose of preventing your goal from being overrun by the occasional dramas that arise in life. A timely goal imposes a sense of priority and urgency.

With no time frame tied to the goal, there's no sense of urgency. "Someday" is not nearly specific enough — that ambiguous approach will not get you to the finish line.

If you want to lose 20 pounds (9 kg), when do you want to lose it by? When you commit to accomplishing the goal within a given time frame — "by the first of June" — you've programmed your unconscious mind to begin working on the goal.

Commitment is a key component to success. The harder the goal, the more commitment is required.

Tangible Goals

Timely goals also have to be tangible, meaning you can experience them with one of the senses — taste, sight, touch, hearing, or smell. A tangible goal is also more likely to be specific and measurable, and therefore achievable.

A timely goal answers these questions:

When?

What can I do today?

6 weeks, 6 months, 1 year from now?

The Bottom Line

Setting specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely goals is an important first step on your path to a stronger, fitter, more energetic body — and will serve to guide the progress of your kettlebell training.The goal of goal setting is to be successful, and you need to set goals to be successful. Create clear, challenging goals and commit to accomplishing them.

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Setting Goals, Assessing Fitness, and Training Safely

How to set meaningful goals, assess your current fitness level, and build a safe foundation before beginning your kettlebell training program.

Assessing Fitness

Four simple self-tests — deadlift, squat, one-arm press, and plank — to gauge whether you have the core stability, shoulder mobility, and base strength to begin kettlebell training safely.