What should your goal be in the gym?

Clear goals are how you achieve goals.

I know, this sounds really stupid when I say it like that. I know. There’s a lot of truth to this though, if you have no direction, you’ll spend your entire life seeking the direction.

Why not skip the seeking, and start the journey?

There’s a reason I asked you what your goal was. If you haven’t told me yet just reply to this email.

When I first started working out, I didn’t have a clear goal. It lead to poor training, and poor programming. It also meant I didn’t even know where to look to learn how to achieve a goal (as there wasn’t one 😭)

This is what I call the powerbuilder trap.

Their goal is so unfocused.

Powerbuilders try to be both strong and big. They end up being smaller than powerlifters, and weaker than bodybuilders. Something about that is so ironic.

You might have noticed when I first asked you your overall goal, it was quite basic.

I focused on working out the essence of your goal.

This tells me what I need to teach you, but you have to be the one to give the essence form. No one just wants “to get bigger muscles” you have to dig deeper.

A good goal will keep you:

• Motivated

• Aiming in the right direction

• Asking the right questions

You find this “good goal” by adding your individuality.

Individuality comes from your personality, character, and interests. Some guys want huge shoulders and wide lats like David Laid. Others want to look like an absolute mass monster with a huge blocky waist, and huge traps. Some want that old school tricep sweep with small rear delts.

All of these are 100% valid.

To make your goal better do this:

1. Find the essence of your goal.

2. Add substance to your goal by adding individuality.

3. Write down where you can get in 5 years with this goal.

4. Write down where you can get in 1 year with this goal.

5. Break it into daily/weekly steps.

Here’s how I’d do it.

1. I want to build muscle

2. I want a small waist, big arms, big chest, wide shoulders and lats, a thick back, big legs, and big calves. I don’t really care about my strength on the big three.

3. In 5 years I’d like an FFMI of 24 @14% Bodyfat, I’d have to be ~221 lbs for this.

4. In 1 year i’d like an FFMI of 22 @14% BF, I’d have to be ~203 lbs for this.

After I’ve worked that out I’d put together the daily/weekly steps for right now.

• 3/4 workouts a week

• 150 minutes of cardio a week

• A calorie deficit

• Focus on chest (weak point compared to back)

This might be what my steps look like.

I’d rather you had something that’s a lot more detailed.

This plan would take from all areas of life.

From your diet:

• Macros

• Calories

• Micros

Your workout would reflect your short-term goals:

• Exercise selection with weak points

• Amount of workouts

• Amount of cardio

All of this combines to reach your long-term goal.

If someone asks me what my goal is in the gym, I’d tell them the essence, it’s rare to tell someone the full definition of your goal (they also don’t care 😭)

Unrelated, I’d love to hear your specific goal. Reply with it when you’re done.

With these digestible steps, you can even add in a fly wheel 🦟🎡

I use with anything that needs feedback. Your short term goals drive the fly wheel. It’s a way of working out when you need to change a plan, or if it’s actually working.

See something you have to realise is that static plans fail.

A good plan is dynamic.

It’s reviewed, the intention of the plan is assessed. It becomes a subordinate to the truth it’s effectiveness is in the open, if it’s not effective, you adjust. A new plan is forged.

Changes with a plan are typically going to be involving:

• Bulking/cutting

• Muscle biasing

• Diet/supplementation

• Volume

• External factors

No one woke up jacked by accident.

This is why you need to be logging your workouts and taking progress pics.

Ask “Are you actually progressing?”

If you want me to show you how I track/plan everything muscle growth related just reply with a “👍🏻” and I’ll send over some awful handwriting.

Your Hypertrophy Hero,
Fletcher

P.S. Although there are genetic limitations, a good plan WILL minimise the bad, and maximise the good.