Goal setting is an important part of any athletes training regime as it helps to give direction and a focus on attempting to achieve certain rewards. An athlete or coach who is “just letting it happen” or taking a “hit and miss approach” to training and competitions will ultimately end up disappointed.

Select areas to improve on and then set some long term goals that will be within your reach, but not too easy. Once these have been established an athlete and coach can work out the step to attain these goals. These steps now become your short term goals. Achieving daily, weekly or fortnightly targets can be very satisfying, and can assist in motivating a person to keep striving for their long term goals.

When beginning a resistance training program or coming back after a long break, it is recommended that an athlete uses light to medium weights and performs general exercises focusing on improving the strength of the whole body. It would be suggested to use body weight and then machines, as these can guide your movements more safely than free weights. Over time, as the body becomes stronger, more advanced exercises and machinery could be used. Resistance exercises tend to be categorised as either compound exercises that use a combination of major muscle groups during a movement or isolation exercises that target one specifi c muscle or muscle group.

Compound exercises on machines would be favoured over isolation exercises using free weights during the early stages of a resistance training program.

If your training sessions are correctly planned prior to every session, it creates a routine for the athlete to follow. Training programs and the activities structured should be set up so that the athlete can achieve their goals.