The Outcomes Approach To Training

As a new year approaches I’m guessing many of you are thinking what you’re gonna do to make this year the one that you’re finally going to______, and make some time for_____, and finally do ______. It may be losing weight, making more money, saving more money, eating less pinkberry or a social media detox with a facebook fast. You know, the dead horse we call resolutions.
Well for the training we do at Heyday I don’t want you to think resolutions. I want you to think outcomes.
Resolutions are formal (mostly half-hearted)  statements to take a course of action. This year: “I’ll lose weight” or “start going to curves, bally total fitness or jazzercise.” That’s usually where they end and their implementation seldom makes it to February.
Outcomes are different. They’re what resolutions wish they could be; the end result. To distinguish let me explain: resolutions are a statement of intent with no definite end in mind. It is activity without direction.
Let’s compare the difference with actual examples of how this would look for weight loss (since it will probably be the vast majority of New year rezos.
Resolution: I want to lose weight this year.
Outcome: By March I weigh 160 pounds with 12% Body fat. (baseline: right now on January 1st, I weigh 190lb with 20% body fat)
See the difference? The resolution is vague and doesn’t really point me in any meaningful direction. I mean I could lose 2 pounds after one workout and some sauna time but is that what I meant when I made the resolution? Does it mean I’m successful? Yes? Maybe? No target no progress.
The outcome is simple and relevant. It is clear and even a little exciting because I know exactly where to go and I know exactly how far (or close) I am to my outcome.
Eddie just deadlifted 500lbs. Nearly 100 pound increase in a couple months. Even for Eddie that is pretty unbelievable but he still did it. Want to know part of the reason why?
About a month and a half ago he told me, ” I want to deadlift 500lbs” and said it a couple times after that as well. He didn’t make some bland statement like “Oh, I want to deadlift more weight” or “I want to get stronger blah.”
He made a very specfic goal, about a very specific lift, with a very specific weight. Yup, a definite outcome. And he got it! On top of that it happened much sooner than he anticipated. Double rainbow.
It reminded me when he hit 500lbs how powerful it is to set outcomes. It makes the actions you need to take very clear and your energy to pursue them much more focused.
I believe this is why commitments like I’m going to run a marathon, or do a triathlon, work much better because, like I drilled in this post, it is a very  definite result and leaves little doubt as to what to do to get it.
So, this year set some outcomes you want to have out of your training in your notebooks and remind yourself of them. C’mon, I dare you, see what happens….
WOD
5 roundsMax rep body weight Bench
Max Rep Pullup
3 minute rest in between

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