Why We Train – Setting Goals Beyond the Numbers on the Barbell

Everyone who walks into the gym has goals. But not everyone is exactly clear on what those goals are, or how those goals will keep them consistent in the gym and help them succeed long-term.

I like to picture goals and goal setting on three different levels:

1. Superordinate Goals

These are the big-picture reasons you train — your deeper “why.” These goals may take time to develop, so if you don't have them from the second you step into the gym, that is okay. But continuing to reflect on what the overarching direction of your progress and time spent in the gym looks like is important. Much of the time these goals will have deep meaning by being tied to your identity and values.

They can be a mixture of aesthetic, life, training, or wellbeing and happiness in nature.

For me, my superordinate goals are to be strong af for life (I want to be the 75 year old still deadlift hundreds of kgs), to be independent and always able to feel capable and proud of my body and what it can do for me, to always have fun and enjoy training, to keep learning (new skills or more about myself as a human), to make friendships and have a community in my life that is on the same path as me, and to get jacked (for aesthetics, but also for everything above).

Superordinate goals are flexible and link to many smaller goals (intermediate and acute). For example, the superordinate goal of “having fun and enjoying training” will be pursued in different ways – CrossFit, weightlifting, powerlifting, more general strength work etc. However, all of these ways of training are ultimately moving me in the direction I want to be going.

The drive to achieve these goals is often what keeps people coming back long after the PBs or novelty of a specific lift or new program has worn off.

2. Intermediate / Month-to-Month Goals

These are the milestones that shape decisions in the month to month, and are more commonly how people set goals. These goals provide a general pathway to plan training and life from month to month, but they should be underpinned by your superordinate goals.

For the primary goal of “get strong AF” example intermediate goals can be: hiring a coach to improve technique, building to a bodyweight bench, or hitting a qualifying total for nationals, focusing on getting enough sleep, and managing stress. Multiple intermediate goals can work towards the same superordinate main goal.

3. Acute / Daily Goals

These are about the process and specific, actionable steps and time frames to achieve goals higher up.

Things like showing up to the gym 4x per week, fueling properly before heavy sessions, being consistent with accessories, and executing lifts with intent. These small, daily efforts create the foundation for achieving both your intermediate and superordinate goals.

When you zoom in, training may shift week to week or month to month (for me this has looked like moving between CrossFit, powerlifting, and weightlifting; sometimes adding cardio, sometimes focusing on hypertrophy or strength). But when you zoom out, you see the bigger picture: you still see your training progressing towards those superordinate goals.

Final Thoughts

So, what’s your superordinate goal?

If you’re not sure, that’s okay — sometimes we figure it out along the way.

This is why at MWBC:

• We communicate about our goals, and make not only the numbers on the bar, but the human lifting those numbers a part of the picture when we are setting goals.

• Why we have them front and centre, both in the discussion when we meet you and also in writing on our goals wall.

• And why training often becomes part of people’s identity — not because of the kilos on the bar or their current PB total, but because of who they become through showing up daily and the long-term pursuit of their superordinate goals.
  
  — MWBC Team