Personal fitness goals

Teaman1

WKR
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
617
Location
Redfield, South Dakota
Just looking for ideas for next year, but what fitness goals do you guys set for yourselves. Like running 5 miles without a stop, or X amount of stairs
 
Joined
Sep 20, 2018
Messages
7,571
Location
In someone's favorite spot
I turn 50 in Feb and I've committed myself to completing a marathon in 2020. It's a "bucket list" item. I'm placing no time requirement on myself - just to finish.

Worked up to 12 mi. so far, over 2 months of training. Most miles/week to date has been 22.

I have no idea what I'm doing, so I downloaded a "beginners" training plan and try to follow it religiously. That schedule is posted on my refridgerator, and being able to circle the miles after I complete them is a great motivator that puts me out on the road even when I don't want to go. The guilt associated with seeing uncircled miles is pretty good motivation too. LOL

Even though I played soccer for 13 years, I've never been a distance runner. I don't know anyone who is 6'4" and 210 lbs. who is a distance runner. Before this effort, the longest I had ever run in one shot was 8 miles, and that was one time. Prior to that, I considered 5-6 miles to be a "long" run.

Now that I've done 8-9 miles routinely, and 10-12 miles several times, running 5-6 miles actually seems pretty simple.

Please understand I'm running SLOW enough that I hesitate to even call it "running" but I figure if I'm not walking, I'm running. ha, ha.

Anyway, that's my current personal goal. I'm not allowing myself 1 second to wonder or worry whether I'll achieve it. There is no point in doing that. I'm just grinding through the process for the value of the grind, and the satisfaction of marking those miles off my schedule. If I never complete a marathon, it will still all be worth it to me. I'll have no regrets because I know I'm trying my best. I will admit, it is one of the most physically demanding things I've ever done since I don't consider myself a natural runner.
 

Rick

FNG
Joined
Sep 9, 2013
Messages
73
Location
SouthWest WA
Next year will be my first attempt at completing the Memorial Day Murph. Come spring I'll have a better idea of will I be able to do it with or without a weight vest and or just doing a 1/2 Murph. The pull ups will be what holds me back.
 

Btaylor

WKR
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Messages
2,479
Location
Arkansas
I have exactly zero goals now from a fitness perspective. Only took one trip to the mountains to understand there is no goal I can set that will equate to perfect mountain performance to me. So I shifted my thought process to focusing on the training that will progressively improve my hunting performance both in the mountains and here at home and I try to push my self to get better every week with no goal or finish line. Dont compare yourself to anyone but you. There will always be folks bigger, faster, stronger, yay for them. Make a committment to making you better FOR YOU and you wont need a goal. Doesnt make setting and acheiving them unimportant, you just wont need them.
 
Joined
Sep 20, 2018
Messages
7,571
Location
In someone's favorite spot
Yea, I've said before that I worry some guys will get discouraged when they read what a few folks post here. In reality, a person's mindset and determination will go a lot further than their fitness, although fitness does play a big role in maintaining a positive mindset.
 
OP
Teaman1

Teaman1

WKR
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
617
Location
Redfield, South Dakota
Murph would be a good one. I just try to set conditioning goals for myself. Strength has never been an issue for me at 5’8” 220. My only real goal is to get to 200 pounds which would put me at a good body fat percentage. Conditions - stairs, incline treadmill, running hills, hiit, and jogging- I could improve in all areas haha
 
Joined
Dec 12, 2018
Messages
511
Location
South Kakalaki
Been working on these goals for about a year now. I've taken about a 3 week break from most intense exercising leading up to my elk hunt. I've found full recovery for me takes a little longer these days and I want to be fully recovered before hitting the mountain. These goals are not for beauty pageants or lifting competitions. I exercise so I will hopefully watch my kids complete their education, become contributing members of society, and hopefully keep up with grand kids one day.

6' 180# (ish)

Squat 2x body weight = 360#
Bench 1.5x body weight = 260#
Deadlift 2.5x body weight = 450#
Complete 20 full range pull-ups (not chin-ups)
 

brsnow

WKR
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
1,847
47 and completed a marathon this past June. My first race of any type running. I am now committing to 2 1/2 marathons a year. The training is efficient with a busy work/family schedule. I have young kids, want to stick around as long as possible:) The training programs are structured great for people who can’t run a mile without walking. You will run 5 miles in no time.
 

brsnow

WKR
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
1,847
I turn 50 in Feb and I've committed myself to completing a marathon in 2020. It's a "bucket list" item. I'm placing no time requirement on myself - just to finish.

Worked up to 12 mi. so far, over 2 months of training. Most miles/week to date has been 22.

I have no idea what I'm doing, so I downloaded a "beginners" training plan and try to follow it religiously. That schedule is posted on my refridgerator, and being able to circle the miles after I complete them is a great motivator that puts me out on the road even when I don't want to go. The guilt associated with seeing uncircled miles is pretty good motivation too. LOL

Even though I played soccer for 13 years, I've never been a distance runner. I don't know anyone who is 6'4" and 210 lbs. who is a distance runner. Before this effort, the longest I had ever run in one shot was 8 miles, and that was one time. Prior to that, I considered 5-6 miles to be a "long" run.

Now that I've done 8-9 miles routinely, and 10-12 miles several times, running 5-6 miles actually seems pretty simple.

Please understand I'm running SLOW enough that I hesitate to even call it "running" but I figure if I'm not walking, I'm running. ha, ha.

Anyway, that's my current personal goal. I'm not allowing myself 1 second to wonder or worry whether I'll achieve it. There is no point in doing that. I'm just grinding through the process for the value of the grind, and the satisfaction of marking those miles off my schedule. If I never complete a marathon, it will still all be worth it to me. I'll have no regrets because I know I'm trying my best. I will admit, it is one of the most physically demanding things I've ever done since I don't consider myself a natural runner.

Check out Hal higdon training. Pretty straight forward and effective.
 

HPowell

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2020
Messages
2
I’m not really a sports man and that’s something that I want to change. I work in IT, so most of my work needs to be done by sitting at a desk (who am I kidding, all of my work includes sitting on a comfy chair). So lately I’ve been thinking that I should start some kind of sports. I just feel my body slowly rotting away and I fear that I may never get it back. I’m young, I’m 28, but already feel like a 50 year old. I’ve been thinking about running and home exercises. Also, I was always interested in martial arts, so maybe I’ll start watching some video courses about self defense fighting techniques that I read a review of. That’s it for now. My goal is to at least start something. If I can get myself on track, I think everything will go smoothly afterwards.
 
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thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
11,221
Location
Alaska
My goal is to keep improving. I just want to keep getting stronger in the mountains and have some successful mountain goat hunts and possibly a sheep hunt this year.

I guess if I had a more specific goal, I’d like to get my 6 pack back, it’s been a tough few years and while I’m not overweight at all and in pretty good shape, my 6 pack isn’t there anymore.
 
Joined
Jul 18, 2018
Messages
75
Location
North Pole, AK
My goal is to keep improving. I just want to keep getting stronger in the mountains and have some successful mountain goat hunts and possibly a sheep hunt this year.

I guess if I had a more specific goal, I’d like to get my 6 pack back, it’s been a tough few years and while I’m not overweight at all and in pretty good shape, my 6 pack isn’t there anymore.

I think thats pretty close to where I am. I strength train because I enjoy it....trying to hit legs harder to give me a little extra edge climbing the mountains. I'm fairly happy where I'm at at 5'10" 205. I'd probably have to lose 10 maybe 15 lbs to get good definition in the abs. I'd like to get back on the stairclimber and hike some hills but the covid thing has me out of AK and away from my gym right now. Hoping to be back very soon.

Good luck out there thinhorn and train hard!
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
11,221
Location
Alaska
I think thats pretty close to where I am. I strength train because I enjoy it....trying to hit legs harder to give me a little extra edge climbing the mountains. I'm fairly happy where I'm at at 5'10" 205. I'd probably have to lose 10 maybe 15 lbs to get good definition in the abs. I'd like to get back on the stairclimber and hike some hills but the covid thing has me out of AK and away from my gym right now. Hoping to be back very soon.

Good luck out there thinhorn and train hard!

yup that’s what I’m looking at 10-15lbs. Luckily I live in AK so I can get out hiking if the snow ever melts, I’ve been doing lots of body weight training but looking forward to the snow going away so I can get back in the mountains.
 
Joined
Jul 18, 2018
Messages
75
Location
North Pole, AK
yup that’s what I’m looking at 10-15lbs. Luckily I live in AK so I can get out hiking if the snow ever melts, I’ve been doing lots of body weight training but looking forward to the snow going away so I can get back in the mountains.

Yea I hope to be back in a couple weeks. Hopefully most all the snow will be melted by that time. I'd like to get out south of Delta and hike a bunch of those ridges this summer - hoping that the travel mandates go away soon. Nothing like doing the real thing to drop weight and get in great shape IMO
 
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