The Best Non-Weight Loss Fitness Goals
In this fresh new year, you might be tempted to set some—let’s not call them resolutions— goals . Dreams. Plans. January will bring a new sense of focus, so it’s a great time to start working on something that can pay off by the end of the year.
While weight loss goals are probably the most traditional, they are also boring . Here’s a collection of fitness goals that are about what your body is capable of, not its size.
Hold Crow Pose
Arm balancing is a cool athletic feat that sometimes shows up in more advanced yoga classes. It’s an amazing feeling to lift your feet off the ground for the first time, and I’m told that if you’re good with Crow, you can start working on the similar but more challenging Crane pose (knees tucked into your armpits rather than resting). on your elbows.) This guide from Adriene will help you start with Crow or choose another challenging yoga pose, like Side Crow or Firefly .
Run a fast mile
Running is not just about covering as much distance as possible. If you want to give your legs and lungs a good test that doesn’t take hours, practice running a mile faster . Go to a time trial now—the standard school course is four laps per mile—and try to improve your time by the end of the year. Look for a training plan that has variety, including easy and long runs, as well as a lot of speed work.
Improve your vertical jump
How high can you jump? Mark your fingers with chalk or place a ball of masking tape on your finger. Touch the wall as high as you can, then jump up and make another mark. The difference between the two is your vertical, and you can improve it by working on your strength, power and jumping technique.
Do your first (or second, or tenth) pull-up.
That first pull-up may be so elusive, but you will get there. I recommend a two-pronged approach : First, perform pull-up variations such as assisted pull-ups and negative pull-ups (where you jump on the top of the bar and slowly lower yourself down). A second, underappreciated tactic is to work on getting stronger with exercises other than pull-ups. Working on your overall upper body will help a lot, but make rows the centerpiece of your workout to build muscle in your back and arms: Kroc rows, bent-over rows, reverse rows and more.
Sign up for the race
If you’ve only ever done training rides (or solo time trials), do yourself a favor and sign up for a race. Maybe it’s your first 5K , or maybe it’s time to take the plunge and take on a marathon. If you crave punishment, it could even be an obstacle race. Just make sure you give yourself enough time to exercise. If you already run regularly, training for a half or full marathon will take about four months.
Take part in a strength competition
If you already squat, press, and deadlift, you might as well do it in front of a crowd of people who will actually care how hard you bench. Don’t worry about whether you are “good enough”; There are at least a few newbies at every competition, and chances are there will be a kid or a master athlete weighing less than you. Just put it on your calendar, focus on training, and go have some fun .
Do 50 push-ups in a row
If you can’t do a full push-up yet, your goal may be to complete one rep. But if you can already do a few exercises, why not aim to increase the number of exercises you can do in one set? Unlike traditional strength training, where you add weight, long sets of push-ups require little strength and a lot of muscular endurance. Aim for 50, or 100, or whatever number scares you a little.
Do a pistol squat
Single leg squats are hard. Not only do you need to bear your entire body weight with just one leg, but you also need strong enough stabilizing muscles to do it without falling. And if you’re going to do a full squat, butt to grass, as they say, you’ll also need ankle mobility. To achieve this, use the squat progression from the r/bodyweightfitness workout . He starts with split squats and moves into what’s called a shrimp squat before getting to the elusive pistol.
Run further than ever before
The first time you complete a set distance is a huge thrill, not least because you know you’ll be breaking your own records for weeks to come. If you’ve only ever run eight miles, you’re probably fit enough to handle 10 miles, and you’ll have to spend the last two miles thinking, “Oh my god, this is the furthest distance I’ve ever run.” No, this is the farthest I’ve ever run. Not this ….”
You can combine this with a race goal, but you can also set a distance goal that means something to you. Five miles around the lake? Twelve miles so you can go down and back up the park’s six-mile trail? You decide.
Make a split
You can choose any flexibility exercise that challenges you, but if you want to really impress your friends, try doing the splits. You will need a good stretching program and plenty of time; splits don’t come easy. But when you get there, you will feel amazing.
Evaluate your squats, bench presses and deadlifts
How do your Big 3 accomplishments compare to others? Whether you plan to compete or not, check out this classification chart. (You will need to select your weight category to find your place in the table, so keep in mind that the classes are named after the maximum weight in that category. If you weigh 72 kg, you are placed in the 75 kg category.) Once you look , what is your rating, aim to improve the level.
Farmers carry your weight in each hand.
Farm carry is simple: you hold something heavy in each hand and walk. Strongman athletes train to perform lifts very hard and very fast, and a good benchmark in the strongman world is the ability to carry your body weight in each hand (i.e. double the weight for a total lift). If you’re not up to it, just find something that’s so heavy it’s hard to carry and work on increasing the distance you can travel. They are great for your grip and core strength.
Do a handstand
The handstand is a fantastic skill to learn because it requires shoulder and arm strength as well as core stability, as well as the incredible challenge of learning how to control your body to master a new skill. Start with wall exercises , work your way up to standing alone, and if you’re really successful, work on handstand walking.
Make a Turkish outfit with something weird or heavy.
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Let’s start with the fact that Turkish outfits are a strange elevator. They are asymmetrical and require a lot of attention. They’re also tedious, although it’s hard to describe exactly how. Work on your exercises with dumbbells, kettlebells, or even light barbells, and once you get the hang of it, start doing it with larger, awkward objects.
Hanging on the bar with one arm
This is a grappling test that is much harder than it looks. Start by hanging onto the bar with both hands, just hanging there. Not too difficult, right? Once it becomes easy, start hanging from the bar with one hand. If you can hold out for 30 seconds, you will defeat me.