Try Setting A New Goal

...because you have demolished your old one! Maybe you lost the stubborn last ten pounds, your forever hidden abdominal muscles are finally making an appearance, you feel more energized, or are getting a consistent sleep pattern down solid. It could be developing a liking for a food you once thought dreadful, being the top salesperson in the company for the quarter, or driving someplace new and not winding up lost. Whatever goal you achieved, know you did it!! Although when you accomplish one, there is always another one lurking around the corner.

Goals are both short term and long term. Short term are objectives you'd like to meet within three months. Long term usually happen over a much longer extended period of time (six months or more). Oftentimes, the long term goals cannot be reached until shorter duration ones are obtained (e.g you can't lose 25 pounds until the first ten come off, or you won't get eight hours of continual sleep if you don't set aside eight hours free of distractions). However, as you have probably figured out from previous blogs, that although the heading implies the subject matter might in fact be about goal setting, that is not what this post is covering. While goals do indeed play an important part in not only exercise but also in life, it is the first half of the title that's key.

Some of you possibly remember a couple chapters back in Two For The Price Of One where I discussed supersets. Supersets were two exercises done back to back with no rest in between. Returning to the above bold print at the start of this blog, tri sets are exactly as they sound...three consecutive activities one after another. And you thought doing two was tough? Don't let this scare you though, it is only as challenging as you choose to make it.

As with some of the prior formats, there are multiple ways to perform this design so like I have done throughout this series, I will give several examples as to how tri-sets can be executed. There have been both rep and time based workouts over the past few months and this type follows suit. Like supersets, you can do opposing muscle groups (biceps & triceps or hamstrings & quadriceps), same body area (all abs or shoulders) or your favorite mix (say cardio, abs, and lower/upper compound movement). Whatever you put together works to ensure you exceed your expectations and personal goals and build on the progress you've made up to this point. So go ahead and "tri" something new! You got this!

Exercise suggestions

Lower body (opposite)

• Quad extensions/seated hamstring curls/towel TKE

• Reverse jackknife/lunges/ hamstring kickbacks w/band

• Ball squeeze/penguins/seated adduction machine

• Seated abduction machine/leg swing/band walks

• Calf raises/ankle dorsiflexion w/band/gas pedal

• Box toe taps/calf press/heel walks

Upper body (opposite)

• Bicep curls/skull crushers/hammer curls

• Tate press/preacher curls/triceps dips

• Bench press/rows/chest flys

• Reverse flys/pushups/lat pull downs

Shoulders (same)

• Face pull/upright rows/10-10-10s

• Pec decks/T raises/shoulder shrugs

• Rotators/hitchhikers/shoulder adduction w/band

Abs/core (same)

• Leg lifts/crunches/Russian twist

• Flutter kicks/roll outs/squirms

• Bent knee leg raise/plank/side bends

• Dead bug/supine iso hold/ crossover crunch

Picking two from each category and one from shoulders can give you a head to toe workout. Of course the above suggestions can be modified or progressed according to your fitness level. Don't forget to include a cardio warm-up or choose from these ideas instead:

Cardio/core/compound (total body)

• Jumping jacks/side plank/squat press

• Burpees/plank rolls/press outs

• Mountain climbers/scissor kicks/triceps press to pullover

• Shadow boxing/windmills/ concentration curls

• Jump rope/bicycles/lawn mowers

• Speed skaters/air crunches/bridge to chest press

Selecting the tri-sets in this manner means that in six exercises you can achieve a whole body workout. A bonus is that you should be able to complete the entire circuit in under an hour so if you're short on time, make this you're go to format and switch up the order each session...it will feel like a different program.

In closing up this series on workout styles, I hope you find one that inspires you to reach new heights, set new goals, and get up, get out and get moving. Join me back here in two weeks when we venture out to a new aspect of health and find out how everyone can benefit from exercise.

On the subject of goals:

What short term goal (fitness related or not) would you like to achieve by the end of the year?

What new goal(s) are in the works for you in 2023?