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Help me set SMART strength goals for this year

Dancelot

Dancelot

New member
Background: I started lifting at the start of last year, but only did squat and bench press (with the usual curls & crappy machine stuff) along with cardio until May. Then I did a program from Iron Addicts with Squat Day, Bench Press Day and Deadlift Day for 2 months. For various reasons, I stopped training for 3 months. Started again in late October, after reading Starting Strength, Stronglifts and the first 100 newsletters from PTC, plus was instructed briefly by a powerlifter at my gym.

At the end of last year, my stats were:

86kg BW, 20-ish BF%, 171cm.

Lifts all done raw - the only assistance gear I use is liquid chalk.

Deadlift: 140kg x1
Squat: 110kg x5
Bench press: 65kg x3
OHP: 35kg x4
No powerclean in 2009: I've only done powercleans for 3 sessions this year.

Since Jan, I've been adding a few things to my training, plus 2 cardio days. My week currently is like this:

Monday: 40 mins indoor soccer

Tuesday:

20-rep squat
Powercleans
Standing MP / Push press
Speed Bench Press
Dead-hang Chin-ups / Wide-grip Pull-ups

Wednesday:

Tabata Thrusters
Burpees
DB Swings
One-armed plank

Thursday:

Bench press
Barbell bent over rows
Standing MP / Push Press
Front squat / Overhead squat
Dead-hang Chin-ups / Wide-grip Pull-ups

Friday:

Either fast swing dancing practice & aerials (lifting women over head & throwing them around) or same as Wednesday.

Saturday:

20-rep squat
Powercleans
Barbell bent over rows
Goodmornings

Replaced the above with deadlift & powercleans once a month.

Standing MP / Push press
Speed Bench Press
Dead-hang chin-ups / wide-grip pull-ups
Click to expand...

My diet: I'm eating exactly like PTC newsletter #37:

PTC NEWSLETTER, Issue # 37

With only 5 drinks in the last 5 weeks (wine and scotch & diet coke).

Sleep: I get between 7-9h a night.

My current stats are:

82kg BW, BF% not sure, will measure soon, but certainly lower than 20%.

Deadlift: 155kg x1 (over 3 weeks old)
Squat: 100kg x20, 120kg x5 (this was too easy & done straight after I hit 90kg x20)
Bench Press: 77.5kg x5 (although I've struggled to match it since, only got back to 77.5kg x4)
Powercleans: 70kg x1 (was today, still plenty in the tank)
Standing MP: 55kg x1, Push Press: 60kg x1 (wasn't really trying today)

The goals I've set on Jan 1 were:

BW: 80kg, BF% 10% (i.e losing 11kg of fat and gaining 6kg of muscles)

Deadlift: 200kg
Squat: 120kg x20 and 160kg x1
Bench press: 100kg
OHP: 75kg
Powerclean: 80kg

Others: 10x 1 arm push-ups with either arm, 1 arm chin-up, 1 arm pull-up (with either arm).
Click to expand...

With my powercleans already at 70kg today, I'm thinking that I set my goals a little too low.

What do you think I should set them to?

Thanks a lot! :)
 
Last edited:
I think you should leave it as is for the moment, if you hit the goals before 1st Jan, then you can always set new ones.
 
I always believe that 2-3-4 plate for bench-squat-deadlift should be everyones first goals.

Bodyweight MP and anything approaching 80-100kg for cleans, where technique plays a big part.
 
PTC said:
I always believe that 2-3-4 plate for bench-squat-deadlift should be everyones first goals.
Click to expand...

Pardon my ignorance, but I've heard this a few times & I'm not sure exactly what it means. 2 plates means 2 max possible plates on each side, e.g 2x25kg red plates, or 120kg in total (inc the bar)?

Which translates to 120kg-170kg-220kg for bench-squat-deadlift?

Bodyweight MP and anything approaching 80-100kg for cleans, where technique plays a big part.
Click to expand...

Bodyweight MP I think will be the toughest one for me. I can probably reach BW push press quickly but strict MP is gonna be a killer!

Thanks!

PB, that's a good one!
 
A "plate" is an American 45 pound plate, roughly 20kgs. so 2 plates = 100kg 3 plates = 140kg and so on.
 
Ah, cheers Bluey.

So it'll be 100kg - 140kg - 180kg.

I'll probably nail the squat first, then deadlift and finally bench.
 
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