What’s the Number, What’s the Number?

The question that will put your head in circles, these are often over thought and the makeup of the most common conversation started within the four walls of the gym. ‘What’re your numbers, what do you want to hit at the next competition you’re doing?’ 

For days, for weeks, for months out you will be thinking about it and they will be asking it.  It has been a while since I’ve been on this path but as I start laying down some plans to compete again next year I find myself in the rabbit hole filled with numbers. It will go over and over in my own head, and no doubt once a few people find out I want to do a comp, they will all ask, what will I do? 

But how do you come up with a number and what should it mean to you? It is important to have your goals going into the competition to keep you on path and motivated, but it becomes a very fine line before it consumes you.  

For me my approach is simple and one I suggest everyone should do.  

1. You need to make sure your goals match up with the time you have to put into it. Don’t set a five day training per week goal and only have two days to put into it. You can still do good things with two days but you don’t get five day goals with only two days training. In my opinion this is by far the most important thing to consider but too often overlooked.
   
2. Follow what others have done, but make sure you have the conversations with them as to what it took for them to get to those numbers. You may be in for a little shock when you find out what others do to get their total. But also remember this is your journey.

3. How long have you been in the game? As you know those beginner gains do not last forever. But at the same time if you have some skin in the game often you don’t need to do as much. Experienced lifters have a solid base already to work off. 

4. Chat to your coach. They are the all knowing and all seeing visionaries. They will be able to help you find the right balance between pushing yourself and under shooting.  

So for me when laying down some ideas of numbers to work with, I just use the above rules to work out the numbers.  

1. With the juggle of dad life and work life the days of saying ‘less life; more lifting’ are well and truly behind me. I will have time for three solid days in the gym and if lucky I’ll be able to squeeze in a bonus short auxiliary day. But family and work will still be prioritised so when/if training has to be missed I’ll just adjust where needed and be very ok with what cost comes to my total because of this.

2. This is an easy one for me being a coach. I’m very lucky to have a lot of good friends who are coaches and lifters so I know what it takes to do the numbers. While I’m sure that one day if I wanted to I could throw out the 800kg total… I will say I don’t want to do what it takes to get this at the moment or probably ever.

3. I’ve been around for a while, and have consistently trained year on year. This will be a big advantage as I can rely on the strong base and experience I have.

4. Following this process, deciding on a Mt Everest goal could be a 300kg squat, but for now that’s not going to be realistic so coming into the next comp I won’t be shooting anything this big.

5. Of course I’ll bring the numbers to Brando at Epic Coaching and get his thoughts and trust in his opinion.  

So after all the ramble… I have still done well to avoid the answer hahaha. But for now the loose target will be to beat the best three lift training total I set a few years back of 700kg in the first comp and then after that I’ll see what I’m worth.  

Wish me luck