WEEK ONE HUNDRED-FIVE :: What Are Your Bodybuilding Goals For 2007?

[webmaster]

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TOPIC: What Are Your Bodybuilding Goals For 2007?

For the week of: December 6th - December 12th
Tuesday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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Now that the New Year is approaching, it is time for us to think ahead and plan our future goals. What those goals will be is entirely up to you – whether they are to lose fat, gain muscle, or just to get away from the stupid TV. The important thing is that if you make a goal make sure you complete it.

What are your bodybuilding goals for 2007? How much fat do you want to lose? How much muscle do you want to gain? Be specific.

Which goals will be the hardest to achieve?

Which will be the easiest?

Bonus: Are there any lifestyle changing programs in your area that people might be interested in trying out? Is there some incentive offered with these programs?

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Thanks.

Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

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Thanks,
Will
Webmaster
Bodybuilding.com

[kinkoshinkai]

My principle goal for 2007 is to enter my first bodybuilding competition. This is a rather daunting goal, being that I only started 2 years ago to reshape my body, and I am gurrently 47 years old with zero experience. To date, I've added 4 inches to my chest, lost 4 inches from my waist, and increased my upper arm measurement by nearly 2 inches. Lest anyone be mislead, I have always been athleticly involved, from high school basketball, to my current profession as a karate instructor. But in my 40's with a family, I'd let conditioning slide, and had never been "muscular", though I used to be "fit".
To be ready, in my mind, to face the challenge of a competition, I want to put on at least 10 more quality pounds of muscle (naturally and drug free). I'm shooting for another inch on my arms (I did pump to 16 and3/4 after my arm day, but when the blood pump subsided, well, I've got a ways to go yet) and need to bring my calves and shoulders up substantially, I think. I have some photos on my bodyspace(http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/kinkoshinkai/)
from when I cut down at the beginning of the past summer, and not being tanned aside, it gives a fair look at where I was 6 months ago. Since the photos, I've put on 7 lbs, still fairly lean, and a half inch on my arms, so I think the goald is reasonable as far as the measurement and weight are concerned.

"Which goals will be the hardest to achieve?"
The hardest goal to achieve will likely be the competition itself. As an actor, I'm no stranger to the stage, and last summer the roll I played involved a bit of posing, bodybuilder style, but all the details of registration, contest prep, tanning posing routine, proper pre-contest diet, tanning, oils, etc, are all going to be uncharted waters. I attended the 2006 Olympia, have been following the FitShow and BritShow religiously on Bodybuilding.com, (I'm a huge Cicherillo fan. I got to get a photo with him at the Olympia expo. Made my day. And I'm using his posing DVD to practice the compulsories) and recently subscribed to Flex magazine. I'm doing it on my own, sort of as a personal challenge, and yet I'm not doing it alone as I lean on this web site and all the aforementioned resources for a guide.
"Which will be the easiest?"
I don't know that you could call any of it easy. To my mind it is a huge undertaking and l may be crazy for doing it. I don't even know for sure which competitions or divisions are appropriate for me. I'll search the lists of what's available in the Utah, Mountain West area and stay close to home as much as possible. I guess the actual lifting, out of all of it, is the easiest. My routines have been working for me, and compared to everything else, are a small part of the whole preparation process, all-be-it the most vital. I mean, it IS about building the body, and that means pump the weight. But that I can do. The food regimen, supplement timing, that's an all day every day, where the lifting is 3 to 6 days a week for and hour or so per day.

One block up the road from me is a great gym, but I don't go there. I work out at home, alone, where I don't have to worry how loudly I grunt, or who sees me, or how long I take.
There are several "Women's only" circuit-type clubs. There's one fairly prominent personal training facility with a great lady running it. There are all sorts of good training, lifestyle helping facilities here in St. George, Utah (although we did have a bit of a debacle with a Gold's Gym owner, but he's out and they've relocated now.) There's even a number of plastic surgeons in our small burg, for those looking for a short-cut (pardon the pun). But I've never seen anyone get lipo or face lifts or tummy tucks, that wouldn't have been better served in the long run, physically and financially, by picking up a dumbell or two.
There is no shortage of available resources for people to improve their health, and thus their lives, here. I even certified as a personal trainer last year as an outgrowth of my personal efforts to get fit. Anyone who wants to change, can. I think Arnold's qoute in his book, "Arnold, the Education Of A Bodybuilder" sums up my own feeling on the matter - "Every day I hear someone say, 'I'm too fat. I need to lose 25 pounds, but I can't. I never seem to improve.' I'd hate myself if I had that kind of attitude, if I were that weak."

[cardioking]

What are your bodybuilding goals for 2007? How much fat do you want to lose? How much muscle do you want to gain? Be specific.

My goals for the year are to lose 35 pounds and then start bulking towards October and gain as much lean mass as I can without putting on too much fat. I weigh 190 pounds right now and plan on getting to 155 pounds. When I obtain my first goal I want to fine tune my body by tightening up and getting detail in my body like abs and chest. This will keep my busy throughout the summer and when October comes around I plan on bulking as cleanly as I can without putting on much fat. I would like to put on a pound a week or every other week. This depends on how well my shoulder feels to put up heavier weight.

Which goals will be the hardest to achieve?

The hardest of my goals would have to be adding healthy and lean mass. This will be incredibly difficult as one has to eat healthy, lift heavy and do enough cardio to take out excess fat but not so much that I lose muscle mass.

Which will be the easiest?

The easiest has to be losing the weight as the only thing you need is a manageable diet, weights and cardio in order to achieve a calorie deficit. The way I have it figured out is that I need to lose 1 pound a week which will take me to a healthy weight loss success in 9 months which would give me a whole month to add detail right before I bulk. 2 pounds a week would get me to my weight by April which would be perfect for having a great summer at the pool.

Bonus: Are there any lifestyle changing programs in your area that people might be interested in trying out? Is there some incentive offered with these programs?

There really are not many programs offered in my area of Ohio that would be good for bodybuilders unless you hired a personal trainer. A personal trainer can offer the motivation needed to push past the limit you normally would. A training partner could do the same thing but they may not have the expertise a trainer would. My area mainly offers things like Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers or Thin and Healthy which are geared towards those wishing to come down from overweight or obese status to normal.

[natescope]

What are your bodybuilding goals for 2007? How much fat do you want to lose? How much muscle do you want to gain? Be specific

My biggest goal is to be in the gym year round. I've had to travel back and forth from school to home for the past three years, and it's had a major influence on my training routine. When I go home for breaks and holidays, I have no access to any weights (Mom's ankle weights do not count). Next year, whether my family likes it or not, I will only go home two weeks out of the calender year. I am ready to fully commit myself to bodybuilding, just not competitively. I am going to have to balance school/work/training/nutrition, and i know it's not going to be easy, especially the school aspect of it. When i master this main objective, the mini goals should come rather easily.
Setting mini goals, I believe, is the key to reaching an ultimate goal. Instead of saying, "I want to increase my bench press by 150 lbs this year," or "I want to gain 30 lbs of lean muscle this year," I will be subdividing my plans into 4 three month goals:
April 1: increase bench press by 50 lbs
increase dumbbell shoulder press to 80 lbs dumbbells (160 lbs total)
increase leg press by 200 lbs
increase lat pull-downs by 40 lbs
overall gain 10 lbs of lean muscle

July 1: increase bench press by 40 lbs
increase dumbbell shoulder press to 95 lbs dumbbells (190 lbs total)
increase leg press by 150 lbs
increase lat pull-downs by 35 lbs
overall gain 7 lbs of lean muscle (17 total for the year)

Oct. 1: increase bench press by 40 lbs
increase dumbbell shoulder press to 100 lbs dumbbells (200 lbs total)
increase leg press by 100 lbs
overall gain 5 lbs of lean muscle
Where i am in terms of body fat % will influence the last three months of the year. I feel i will have reached my goals as far as how muscular i want to be. I will be to the point where i just want to maintain my physique for the next 10 years of my life. If I'm at a body fat % greater than 10%, i will begin a fat loss regimen that shall last for the next three months. How fast or slow i lose the weight will depend on how much (fat) i have gained during my lean bulking phase.
By Jan. 1, I will have maintained the muscle gains as of Oct. 1, and lowered my body fat % to 8-9%.

Which goals will be the hardest to achieve?

My biggest obstacle will be staying in the weight room. I currently go to Auburn University's Student Activity Center, which shuts down during holidays, breaks, and finals. I do have the necessary equipment in my apartment, but my motivation and focus just aren't the same as when I'm at the gym. Going home, i am born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, where i can't lift weights will have to be waited out until Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's going to suck not being able play with my jack russel and eating free, home cooked meals for a while. Of course, school comes first, so I'll have to make dramatic changes to my study habits. Money will in turn be an issue, as eating nutritiously seems to be more expensive for me. I'll have to put in more hours of work to keep myself properly fed.

Which will be the easiest?

The easiest part should be reducing my body fat %. I can always find time to do cardio, as i have a stationary bike in case bad weather keeps me from running. The weights i have at my place are sufficient enough to maintain strength once i reach that phase of the year. I have recently learned to control my cravings for greasy food, so binges shouldn't be of much concern.

[Spaniard00]

This is my article Spaniard00. I thought this one was very interesting. These are my goals.

[redhawk76]

Good luck guys

[Blap Blaow]

TOTW105 attached

[BigNate82]

What are your bodybuilding goals for 2007?

My main goal is to get back what I have lost in the past year and to rehabilitate my back. After having a serious back injury in July I am down about 20lbs, and have more fat on my body than I can ever remember having. My goal is to get to at least 215lbs and back down to 6-8% BF which would be gaining between 15 and 20lbs of muscle that I lost. And I want this to be accomplished by July, a year after my accident.

How much fat do you want to lose?

Only a little bit, less than 5lbs. But this will happen to easily once my weight picks back up.

How much muscle do you want to gain? Be specific.

I am currently at an even 200lbs with just a tad to much fat on me. So to get to my goal weight of 215lbs I will have to gain somewhere between 15 and 20lbs of muscle and lose about 5lbs of fat. This will be gaining about .8lbs a week which is going to be a big challenge.

Which goals will be the hardest to achieve?

Gainging 15-20lbs of muscle will be extremely hard to do in 7 months, but I do have full belief that I will be able to do it with my diet and exercise plan I have set out and the muscle memory that will help get me back up in weight.
The hardest part will be the huge amounts of food I will need to eat to keep gaining at this rate, since I've always been a small eater.

Which will be the easiest?
Easiest? None of the above.

Thanks,
Nate

[martinelli]

What Are Your Bodybuilding Goals for 2007?

Now that the New Year is approaching, it is time for us to think ahead and plan our future goals. What those goals will be is entirely up to you – whether they are to lose fat, gain muscle, or just to get away from the stupid TV. The important thing is that if you make a goal make sure you complete it.

What are your bodybuilding goals for 2007? How much fat do you want to lose? How much muscle do you want to gain? Be specific.

My original goals were, above all, to cut back down to 160 pounds from 210 and to reach a body fat percentage low enough that it would allow me to clearly see my abs - something I had never achieved before.

My first attempt at cutting down was met with failure. I did not bulk long enough to gain any appreciable amount of muscle mass, and at 175 pounds, my decision to cut down to 160 was a mistake.

The results were disappointing; I certainly looked thinner in the face and body, but my abs were still hidden. I hypothesized two reasons for this: first, I probably did not gain enough muscle during the bulk to begin with, and second, although I was following a timed carbohydrate diet, my protein intake was on the low end of the bodybuilding spectrum (just barely 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, and even dropping below that number on several occasions).

For this reason, amongst all other goals, I desired to hit 10 percent body fat, at the very least, with more muscle mass than my first cut.

But the coming of the New Year caused me to reassess my goals. I had already set my New Year's Resolutions. But although I originally had one goal in mind - lowering my body fat - two friends of mine asked me if I wanted to run with them in the Los Angeles Marathon in March of 2007. I decided right then and there that I would finish my cut in time for the marathon.

However, my registration for the LA Marathon forced me to realize a crucial dilemma: cutting down from 210 pounds to 160 would normally not have been a problem for me, but performing this within the scope of three months (the date of the Los Angeles Marathon) would not be a good strategy. This would equate to four pounds of weight loss each week in order to reach 160 before the March deadline.

I did not realize until after registering that the marathon was so close up ahead, and for this reason, I re-evaluated my goals and enlisted the services of Bryan Paulsen, also known as KhanPaulsen in these forums.

My new goals are now to cut down to 185 by March (2 pounds of weight loss each week) while retaining as much strength and muscle mass along the way.

I realize that 1 pound of weight loss each week (which is presumably 1 pound of pure fat) is the safest way to go about losing weight while preserving muscle, but I feel that I must reach a bodyweight low enough to sustain 26.2 miles of running - the distance that all runners must complete in the marathon. I believe that 185 pounds, if not 160, sounds reasonable enough.

I have my diet completely covered. I am still following a timed carbohydrate diet, but I have significantly increased my protein intake to at least 300 grams of protein a day, which constitutes 40 percent of my total daily calories on average. My carbohydrate intake never exceeds 20 percent of my calories, and my fat intake usually makes up the remaining 40 percent.

I mailed $50 to Bryan Paulsen to help me achieve my goal while preventing too much strength and muscle loss. Every week for 4 weeks, he writes up a program for me to follow, and one day out of each week, we talk over the phone so that he can modify the program for the next week according to my performance in the previous week.

Do I plan on training exclusively for the marathon? Not at all. I am not even attempting to improve my cardiovascular endurance for the race. My primary goal is to lower my body fat, but I have made general weight loss a secondary goal so that I will at least be able to complete the marathon (something I do not believe I can do at 210 pounds). What the marathon has basically done for me is it has given me a time frame within which I can work to achieve the latter. In other words, I am using the March deadline as a proxy for attaining my goal, as my source of motivation for my bodybuilding goals.

"What you need is drive, a goal down the line that you work for, that will keep you steadfast in your efforts, and that will keep you from straying away from the course."

My discovery of the Los Angeles Marathon was, therefore, a fortunate event.

Will I be able to see my abs by March? Probably not. But while reaching 10 percent body fat is a goal I have set in the long run, reaching 185 pounds regardless of my body fat percentage is a goal I have set to accomplish in the more immediate future. After the marathon, I plan to continue my cut to 160 pounds, but in a safer manner. After the marathon, I expect to see only 1 pound of weight loss a week to better preserve my strength and muscle.

As for what I want to do after I cut down to 160, I am debating whether or not I should bulk again. My family and friends say I look better when I weigh less. Of course, this is the last thing we aspiring young bodybuilders want to hear.

If I decide to bulk again, I plan on only bulking up to as high as 190 while lifting more than I was at 210 (assuming I am able to maintain the majority of my strength while cutting down).

Which goals will be the hardest to achieve?

Weight loss in general is not a difficult thing to do. What is hard about it is making sure that the weight one is losing is mostly fat, not mostly muscle. In saying this, I am acknowledging that I am going to lose more strength in the weeks prior to the marathon than I will after it because I am losing 2 pounds of weight a week for the three months leading up to the marathon, as opposed to losing 1 pound a week once it is over. This is why I am having Bryan structure a program that is biased towards strength and muscle retention.

Lowering only my body fat (versus losing weight) is the bigger challenge.

Which will be the easiest?

Reaching 180-185 pounds in time for the March deadline will be easy for me to accomplish. Anyone can lose weight by eating less or being more active without having to pay attention to the little details. Bryan is simply helping me to maintain my performance in the gym while I am undergoing my relatively rapid weight loss.

Bonus: Are there any lifestyle changing programs in your area that people might be interested in trying out? Is there some incentive offered with these programs?

Here in the city of Davis, the dining commons on the campus of the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) advertise the “Mind-Body-Spirit” connection and encourage students and elderly persons alike to participate in each of the programs they have to offer for each. To put one’s mind at ease, there are numerous “recreational areas” scattered across the entire campus to allow students coming to and from class and their dorms to take a break from the hectic college lifestyle. The slogan on the advertisement for “Mind” was this:

“Spend just 20 minutes outside to breathe fresh air and help sharpen your focus before diving into those books.”

For the body, Davis offers the Activities and Recreation Center, also known as the “ARC,” where students and adults can exercise in the weight room, run on the track or treadmills, and play basketball, badminton, volleyball, or table tennis.

To alleviate one’s spirit, the campus offers daily yoga and meditation classes in the mornings and evenings at the ARC, which is especially beneficial to the adults because they can set aside time for peaceful repose before work.

This is the UC Davis’ threefold approach to bettering one’s overall lifestyle. There is no reward for participating in these programs; however, they are free so many take advantage of it.

[Turnar]

What are your bodybuilding goals for 2007? How much fat do you want to lose? How much muscle do you want to gain? Be specific.

I have just started bodybuilding, but with the help and guidance of friends I have created a definite set of goals to achieve. Currently I stand at 143 lbs, 12% bodyfat. I would like to upgrade to 165 lbs, 8% bodyfat by the end of the year and work on endurance training after reaching this goal.

I have always been the skinny guy, and being forced to wear glasses throughout my high school and college didn't help people's perception of me as the skinny nerd. Although I have not let this perception of me affect my self-esteem or lifestyle, I now want to change my body for my own fulfillment. I can look in the mirror now and not be ashamed - after this year of training I want to look in the mirror and be impressed with myself.

Which goals will be the hardest to achieve?

I've always struggled gaining weight, and it will be harder to do now that I'm in college. It's nearly impossible to regulate food intake - I'm forced to eat in our cafeteria, I don't have a job, so many times I can only get down three meals a day that aren't entirely healthy. It will be difficult to gain weight and get bigger if I'm struggling just to eat enough.

Which will be the easiest?

Under the same token, losing bodyfat is much easier for me. With intense cardio, I'll be able to trim off excess fat quickly.

[hscrugger]

What are your bodybuilding goals for 2007?

My bodybuilding goals are as follows: I want to see clear, deep serrations in my musculature, as well develop rounder, fuller muscle bellies. I'm not anywhere near competition level yet, so I am trying to build a solid basis from which to work toward my eventual (maybe 2009-2010) goal of competing.

How much fat do you want to lose?

Right now, I'm hovering between 14.2% and 16.8%, depending on which method of taking BF% I use. I want to get down to around 7%, which comes out to cutting half of my body fat. I know the math is simplistic, but putting it in that light really brings my goal into clearer focus.

How much muscle do you want to gain?

I want to gain muscle in the sense that it is quality, dense muscle, and not just muscle-freak mass. I am not aiming for size in the first 18 weeks of 2007, but my muscle gain goal is to maintain my present weight (roughly 198 lbs.) while reaching my fat loss goal. The second 18 weeks of the year, I want to add about 10 lbs. of good muscle, while maintaining my newly (hopefully) shredded physique.

Which goals will be the hardest to achieve?

Fat loss, by far. My genetics are highly inclined to pack on mass, as well as an extremely low metabolism. My father is 5'8, 285 lbs., and I got his genes. I've come a long way - I used to be 5'10, 240 lbs. at approximately 41% BF. It just seems as though I've plateaued in my fat loss program. It has been about 4 months since I've seen any new loss, and so it will be difficult to find what changes I need to make to kick my body into overdrive in the next 21 weeks.

Which will be the easiest?

Muscle mass gain. I've always been a guy who can put it on. I eat well for gaining, and I work like an animal in the gym. I've pissed off the gym staff because of my hours (at one point, I was pulling three-a-days) so much that they decided to let me work there so they won't have to come in at funny hours to accomodate me. Given my work ethic, genetics, and diet, I shouldn't have much trouble putting good, hard muscle on.

Bonus: Are there any lifestyle changing programs in your area that people might be interested in trying out? Is there some incentive offered with these programs?

In my area (Southside VA), the things people are doing to aid in their training/transformation processes is cross-training with triathlons. My ROTC Military Science Professor and Assistant Professor are both seasoned triathletes who both recently ran the Army Ten-Miler in DC. MAJ Martinez, the Asst. Prof. of Mil. Science, is a competitive swimmer and is training our ROTC platoon in this fantastic cardio and upper body exercise. The only incentives offered are greater cardiovascular fitness and an exciting alternative to the routine.

brennan