What does the science and evidence say about sticking to and achieving goals?
What do the experienced trainers at Hawthorn’s Gym say?
Do the two align?
Most importantly how can I implement this?
It’s an inescapable (but often accurate) stereotype: The inspired new-years-resolutioner gets motivated on the first day of the year, but by the third week it’s all over. And worst of all, in the meantime they’ve forked out a huge gym membership.
Maybe some gyms love this phenomenon. But we don’t. At least, not all of it. Inspiration shouldn’t be dismissed no matter what form it takes, including new year resolutions. Making a commitment, including a financial commitment, is a proven way to increase motivation. But the question is, how do we ensure these turn into long-term habits and results?
We’ve done the research and pulled together the science-based evidence about what works and why. On top of that, with around 100 years of combined experience to draw from, we’ve asked our fitness professionals at Visions what their tips are for staying on-track and motivated.
Today, in part 1 of our little series, we’ll unpack one of the first questions we get asked - where do I start and how do I know what the right approach is for me?
Part 1 - What is the right approach for me?
If you’re new to the gym, achieving two hours of vigorous exercise of any kind each week will help you see progress. Conversely, if you’ve been at it for a while but have stopped seeing results, you might need to rethink what you’re doing and how you’re doing it.
Understand how to progress toward your goals
The first step is making sure you’ve set yourself clear and achievable goals and setting expectations from the get-go. Are you training for overall wellbeing? Do you have a weight loss target? Want to gain muscle? Get stronger or better at your sport? It’s helpful to make these decisions early in your training, but it’s important to remember you may not be able to do it all at once.
The science tells us that ‘adaptation’ is specific to the exercise performed. In the sports and exercise science community we refer to this as “specificity”.
Simply put, you need to train for what you’re trying to achieve. If you want to be stronger, you must practice lifting very heavy weights. If you want to run long distances, then you have to practice running as far as possible. While there is some cross-over, being strong won’t necessarily help you run further, so if you want to hit that marathon you need to make the bulk of your training specific to that goal. This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people are exercising for something that’s not aligned with what they’re trying to achieve.
Of course - some people don’t have a specific goal - they just train for no other reason than to be healthy, strong and because it feels good. If that’s your jam, then just keep doing what you enjoy, but be sure to keep diversifying aspects of your training where possible, too.
Here is an article from the US National Library on Medicine about specificity https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9680266/.
2. Get a personalised workout program
Once you have your training goals in mind, the best way to make sure you’re on the right track is to follow a workout program tailored to you, your body and your goals. The online influencers will hate us for pointing this out, but the evidence tells us that personalised programs yield better results than the generic programs you might find online. Following a program designed for you has been shown to improve adherence and lead to better fitness outcomes than following training plans built to cater to a wider variety of people and needs. And if you want to take your training to the next level again, you might consider a personal trainer for ongoing personalised service or even seeing Mark, our resident Physio who can utilise his performance optimisation technology to maximise your understanding of your body’s strengths and weaknesses.
In summary, your personalised workout program should:
get progressively more difficult over time (as you adapt to it),
fit within the time you’ve set aside for your training,
be specific, and
be designed to end once you’ve hit your target (so you can start fresh on a new goal).
Interested in the studies that have looked at the benefits of personalised programs? Click here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10915607/#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20this%20study,and%20cardiometabolic%20risk%20factors%3A%20a
3. Find something you enjoy
But let’s not forget the most important part. The ‘right’ kind of exercise is the kind that fits into your life and that you enjoy doing. Inside the gym, there are dozens of ways to ‘train’ and have fun on the gym floor, as well as options like group strength and HIIT training and boxing. There are a thousand ways to move and be active, even if the world of social media influencers and clickbait articles like to make us feel like they have the answers and secrets. Saying you don’t like movement is a bit like saying you don’t like food - there’s enough variety out there that there’s something for everyone.
Not enjoying what you’re doing? Come and see us!! It’s our job to help you try different things in the gym and to help you work out what stimulates your brain, not just your body!
The science is clear - if your training is something you look forward to, then you’ll follow through.
Read the science behind enjoyment adherence and it’s correlation to seeing results: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8894246/
What our experience tells us
So, that’s what the science-backed evidence says, but what about the evidence from the almost 100 years of combined experience our team at Visions holds?
We recently asked the fitness professionals at Visions to tell us their goals for 2025, as well as their tips for achieving goals.
Here’s what they said:
Conclusion
Conclusion? Well, it would be hypocritical if we said there was one answer. There’s not! But there’s some common threads that are backed by science and by the extensive experience of our fitness pros.
It begins with defining your goals, breaking them down into achievable steps and then making your training reflect your goals - remembering that specificity equates to results.
Working with a professional for some guidance and a tailored workout program is also undisputed.
And yes, seeing results in the gym takes time and effort, but time and effort doesn’t have to be a drag. In fact, it can be pretty darn easy if you find something you enjoy and do it with purpose and planning!
Tune in for Part II over the coming weeks - which tackles the question of ‘how often should I train and how long should I spend in the gym?’
See you in the gym soon!