Goal Setting and Motivation 101 - Meeting and EXCEEDING Expectations

Goal Setting and Motivation 101

- Meeting and EXCEEDING Expectations - 

The following piece will contain excerpts from my thread over on the GSF. If you wish to read the entire article, and I highly recommend that you do, please refer to the direct link at the end of this write up. Happy lifting, kids.

So, lets get stuck into it, shall we?

What are goals?

Goals are pretty much anything that you want to eventually reach/obtain/achieve. Maybe you want to run a bit faster, maybe you want to bench a bit more, maybe you just want to lose that one small bit of stubborn fat. Whatever it is, you should KNOW what you want to achieve. Make sure you set yourself CLEAR goals. Failure to do so, will hinder your progress. Hinder your progress enough and you will become demotivated as you continually fall short of achieving your goals. 

First things first; how do I set a goal or multiple goals?
To set goal(s), you must first ask yourself the question "Where do I want to end up?". Whatever your goal is, it matters little. What really matters is what you will DO to get there. It's all good and well to say 'Hey, I'm going to bench two plates for reps!' but you know what? This means jack shit at the end of the day if you don't know how to go about achieving such a goal. Planning and PROPER goal setting is CRUCIAL. Inability to do so will result in either poor results and or failure to achieve your desired outcome(s).

Most people will now be asking themselves, how the devil do I achieve my goals? Well fine gents (and ladies), I have the answer!

The answer....is to set MORE GOALS!

No, I'm not being a douche-bag. Yes, I am serious. How serious? Very serious. 

What you MUST realize is that having ONE LARGE GOAL* is just not going to cut it. Fantastic, you've decided you now want to bench 2 plates for reps. A very solid FINAL GOAL. Now, be smart and set yourself smaller, manageable - yet still tough - goals. Set yourself goals which will enable you to eventually reach your final target. I call these 'micro-goals'.

*(Does not have to be your final goal in a literal sense.)

Setting time constraints (herp derp)

Yes herp derp. Why? Because SO MANY PEOPLE set themselves stupid, impossible, ridiculous, retarded (no hate against the handicapped), mind-blowingly awkward time constraints. No, I'm not hating on time constraints, all I;m saying is be smart about things. Don't say "I will gain 20kg of LEAN TISSUE in 3 months as a natty lifter!". As you can see, the goal itself (gaining 20kg of lean tissue) isn't the issue. The issue is the time constraint. A lot of new lifters simply do not know better. That's fine. We all start somewhere. For everyone else, you should have some general understanding of how this shit works. BE SMART. There are a plethora of variables that can and do come into play whilst you train. You may get sick and lose weight, you may injure yourself curling in the squat rack (serves you right), you may have uni exams. The list goes on! 

Then how in blazes do I set myself time constraints, N4????

Easy. Be reasonable. 

The hell does that mean?

Exactly what it says. Unless you are about to compete or for some sort of health reasons you have to achieve a certain goal (i.e. lose a lot of weight fast for surgery etc.), then be a bit more lenient in how you set time constraints. 

How does that link in with motivation?

If you haven't realized it yet, setting and then NOT ACHIEVING goals can be extremely demoralizing. If you continually set yourself a target and continually fall short or get results you didn't want originally (i.e. you got fat rather than more built), you will not feel good about things. The point of micro-goals is that they will assist in KEEPING YOU MOTIVATED. Again, it is crucial that they be small enough that they are achievable, yet tough enough that you still have to work for it.

Furthermore, there is nothing more awesome than when you EXCEED what you set out to do. Lets say you aimed to gain 5kg on you max bench over 3 months. You work your ass off for 3 months and then test your max bench again. BANG! a 7.5kg increase on your 1RM. That's 2.5kg MORE than what you planned. For arguments sake, these are hypothetical numbers, but you get the idea...

Got anything to keep me motivated along the way?

Sure do! Now, not all of these will be relevant to sports, but they are motivating or cool nonetheless.

As promised, here's the direct link to the full article I've written: 

Motivation 101; Goal setting, exceeding expectations & more

Train hard. Train Smart. Get yourself over to the Goonsquad Forums today.

As always, I hope this helps!

N4J4R

CMO & Supplement Researcher at Spartan Supps

Train. Supplement. Conquer.

*Disclaimer: I am not a trained medical professional. All posts in this blog are my own personal opinion backed with what evidence I may have on hand. Before using any supplement, please check with your healthcare professional.

Stimulants and idiots don't mix

STIMULANTS AND IDIOTS DON'T MIX

N4's Opinion on DMAA and stimulant use

As many of you may be aware, 1,3 dimethylamylamine, or DMAA for short, has recently come under fire from numerous institutions such as the FDA. Why? Well one MAJOR reason is because some people refuse to read and adhere to manufacturer warnings and decided they would abuse their DMAA containing supplements. For those who are unaware on DMAA or who have little insight into this stimulant, let me give you a crash course...

DMAA is a natural compound. It is a very strong stimulant. Stimulants are an UPPER. They can result in an increase in awareness, heart rate, blood pressure, alertness among a variety of other things. DMAA is serious stuff.

On to alcohol. Why alcohol you ask? Because SOME PEOPLE believe that mixing alcohol with a stimulant is a cool idea....Not sure if serious or just plain stupid. Alcohol is a DOWNER. Mixing high concentrations, let alone high-potency stimulants, with a downer is NOT advisable. What makes things worse is when people decide to use copious amounts of high-potency stimulants - in this case DMAA - with copious amounts of alcohol. This is essentially a recipe for disaster.


So how much DMAA is usually considered to be a 'single serve', if you will?

Generally, about 25mg is considered to be a standard serving size. Please take the time to read this until you understand things. A SINGLE SERVE is generally considered to be 25 MILLIGRAMS. This is a very small amount, indeed. Some products have ingredients listed but DO NOT give you the amounts. Why? Because they are listed under the heading of 'proprietary formula'. They therefore do not have to give the consumer the exact amount of each ingredient. The product you're consuming could have double this amount PER SERVE. Manufacturers also give WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS on their products to suggest ways in which the product can usually be used in a safe manner. The problem arises when some consumers FAIL to read such things. Either that, or they simply disregard it and believe that they are invincible. I guess we'll never truly understand the thoughts of some individuals...

Adding to this is the fact that many people will tend to use MORE than a single serve of a particular pre-workout at any one time. i.e. some people may like to use up to 3 serves of Jack3d before training. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The manufacturer will generally outline how much is considered to be fine/safe to use in a given time period. USP labs, the manufacturers of Jack3d, do this. Again, the problem arises when people continually use well above and beyond these recommendations and then mix these ingredients with other products which are outlined by the manufacturer as a big no-no i.e. alcohol.


A lot of the pre-workouts out there that contain DMAA also contain HIGH LEVELS of caffeine. Caffeine is possibly the most popular stimulant out there. Pre-workouts that contain caffeine usually have 100mg per serve (or more). In some cases, exact caffeine content, like DMAA content, is masked by the proprietary blend label. Russian roulette with stimulants anyone?




The media

Some of you may have seen a few articles floating about in your local newspapers or online. I woke up last Sunday morning to find an article in my paper. Upon reading said article, I was disgusted. The media, yet again, have FAILED to report the story in what would be deemed a manner free from bias. Basically, they interviewed three 17 year old boys who have no idea what's really in their supplements, let alone the side effects of certain ingredients. This is not entirely their fault one may argue. Furthermore, they may actually know exactly what is in their supplements and the potential side effects; it's just that the writer decided to misconstrue their comments. One of the boys mentioned getting a tingling sensation when using products that contain DMAA. For those of you with a basic understanding of supplements and or pre-workout ingredient profiles, you'll know that BETA ALANINE is usually present in most leading pre-workout formulations. It is usually THIS ingredient that causes said tingles. The article in question also finished with a statement from a representative from the Health Department who were considering making DMAA a prohibted substance because it could be "abused or misused"....Now I don't know about anyone else, but isn't alcohol abused AND misused on a DAILY BASIS??? So why is that not banned? Simple answer is TAX MONEY, in my opinion. Since DMAA is not really used by a large percentage of the population and is more of a niche market product, the government probably won't make as much money off of taxing this like they do alcohol. One of the boys also complained about throwing up after using DMAA. If you care to read and note his previous comments that lead to this incident, you'll notice that he specifically mentions taking DOUBLE THE DOSE coupled with TRAINING FOR THREE HOURS. Now, unless said boy is running sheiko or some other insane Russian program, I don't see why he'd be in the gym for 3 hours as it is.

A lot of people react differently to products. In the case of DMAA, some people have no real issues after use. Other people crash. Hard. In my personal experience when I first used DMAA, I was very impressed by it's ability to keep me awake and alert. I took a single serve of my pre-workout at 1pm. I could not get to sleep until 3 am. This is purely anecdotal and may also in part be due to a sort of placebo effect. The article also mentions two soldiers dying, with traces of DMAA being found in their blood streams. What the article fails to mention is WHAT ELSE was found in their blood stream or HOW MUCH DMAA was taken. Nor does it make any mention of any previous medical conditions of said individuals.

If you'd like to read the article yourself that I am referring to above, then please check this link: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/youths-muscle-in-on-party-powders/story-e6frea6u-1226397591821




So, can DMAA be used safely?

This is a somewhat subjective question. HOWEVER, in my personal opinion, it can be. Like most things in this world, there is a risks to benefits ratio. Hell, if you abuse certain vitamins and or minerals, it'll lead to negative repercussions! If you abuse something, chances are, it'll come back to bite you in the ass. DMAA is no exception to this rule. At this stage, it is looking like DMAA will indeed be banned in Australia. Likewise, different people may react differently to certain compounds. Before using ANY supplement, especially one which contains highly-potent stimulants, consult with an accredited medical professional. You should also know if you have any pre-existing medical issues. Certain medications probably shouldn't be mixed with stimulants. Alcohol really shouldn't be used with stimulants like DMAA.

Closing remarks:
Read and adhere to the label carefully. Research the ingredients using legitimate sources. Speak to your doctor and know your health.


Hope this helps!

N4J4R

CMO & Supplement Researcher at Spartan Supps

Train. Supplement. Conquer.

*Disclaimer: I am not a trained medical professional. All posts in this blog are my own personal opinion backed with what evidence I may have on hand. Before using any supplement, please check with your healthcare professional.

Cut through the bullshit

CUTTING THROUGH THE BULLSHIT

A quick look into the world of supplements with N4

It seems like in today's world, everyone is trying to find that 'magic bullet'. That one supplement that will make them look and feel amazing. Marketers know this. They know what you want most. They know that you're willing to pay top dollar; especially if you're desperate. So many supplements, so little time. If only there was SOME way to find out what really works....thankfully, there is. I have already given but a small snippet of scientific information regarding one supplement (beta alanine) and I will now share with you another...

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, I present to you....Glutamine.

Glutamine is bought every year by THOUSANDS of green lifters. It is pushed onto them by sponsored athletes and supplement companies alike. The real question is; does it really work? Is there any benefit to using it? In short, the answer is essentially a resounding NO.

Some studies:

Exercise-induced immunodepression- plasma glutamine is not the link.

Hiscock N, Pedersen BK.

Source

Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre and Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.

Abstract

The amino acid glutamine is known to be important for the function of some immune cells in vitro. It has been proposed that the decrease in plasma glutamine concentration in relation to catabolic conditions, including prolonged, exhaustive exercise, results in a lack of glutamine for these cells and may be responsible for the transient immunodepression commonly observed after acute, exhaustive exercise. It has been unclear, however, whether the magnitude of the observed decrease in plasma glutamine concentration would be great enough to compromise the function of immune cells. In fact, intracellular glutamine concentration may not be compromised when plasma levels are decreased postexercise. In addition, a number of recent intervention studies with glutamine feeding demonstrate that, although the plasma concentration of glutamine is kept constant during and after acute, strenuous exercise, glutamine supplementation does not abolish the postexercise decrease in in vitro cellular immunity, including low lymphocyte number, impaired lymphocyte proliferation, impaired natural killer and lymphokine-activated killer cell activity, as well as low production rate and concentration of salivary IgA. It is concluded that, although the glutamine hypothesis may explain immunodepression related to other stressful conditions such as trauma and burn, plasma glutamine concentration is not likely to play a mechanistic role in exercise-induced immunodepression.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12183472

Facts and fallacies of purported ergogenic amino acid supplements.

Williams MH.

Source

Department of Exercise Science, Physical Education, and Recreation, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA. mwilliam@odu.edu

Abstract

Although current research suggests that individuals involved in either high-intensity resistance or endurance exercise may have an increased need for dietary protein, the available research is either equivocal or negative relative to the ergogenic effects of supplementation with individual amino acids. Although some research suggests that the induction of hyperaminoacidemia via intravenous infusion of a balanced amino acid mixture may induce an increased muscle protein synthesis after exercise, no data support the finding that oral supplementation with amino acids, in contrast to dietary protein, as the source of amino acids is more effective. Some well-controlled studies suggest that aspartate salt supplementation may enhance endurance performance, but other studies do not, meriting additional research. Current data, including results for several well-controlled studies, indicated that supplementation with arginine, ornithine, or lysine, either separately or in combination, does not enhance the effect of exercise stimulation on either hGH or various measures of muscular strength or power in experienced weightlifters. Plasma levels of BCAA and tryptophan may play important roles in the cause of central fatigue during exercise, but the effects of BCAA or tryptophan supplementation do not seem to be effective ergogenics for endurance exercise performance, particularly when compared with carbohydrate supplementation, a more natural choice. Although glutamine supplementation may increase plasma glutamine levels, its effect on enhancement of the immune system and prevention of adverse effects of the overtraining syndrome are equivocal. Glycine, a precursor for creatine, does not seem to possess the ergogenic potential of creatine supplementation. Research with metabolic by-products of amino acid metabolism is in its infancy, and current research findings are equivocal relative to ergogenic applications. In general, physically active individuals are advised to obtain necessary amino acids through consumption of natural, high-quality protein foods.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10410846

Amino acids and endurance exercise.

Hargreaves MH, Snow R.

Source

School of Health Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, 3125, Australia.

Abstract

Although skeletal muscle is capable of oxidizing selected amino acids, exercise in the fed and carbohydrate-replete condition results in only a small increase in amino acid utilization. Nevertheless, it may be important to increase the dietary protein requirements of active individuals. There is ongoing debate as to whether the amino acids for oxidation are derived from the free amino acid pool, from net protein breakdown, or a combination of both. There has been interest in the potential ergogenic benefits of amino acid ingestion; however, BCAA ingestion does not appear to affect fatigue during prolonged exercise, there is little support from controlled studies to recommend glutamine ingestion for enhanced immune function, and although glutamine stimulates muscle glycogen synthesis, its addition to carbohydrate supplements provides no additional benefit over ingestion of carbohydrate alone.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11255141

These are but a few studies which disprove the efficacy of glutamine. If you wish to continue reading, then by all means, check out my thread:  Useful studies and links I have accrued over the years

That thread is quite literally a gold mine if you ever want to find some SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE regarding supplements. Whether you want some details on whey, creatine or fish oil, my thread will no doubt have something of VALUE to offer. 

As always, I hope this helps :)

N4J4R

CMO & Supplement Researcher at Spartan Supps

Train. Supplement. Conquer.

*Disclaimer: I am not a trained medical professional. All posts in this blog are my own personal opinion backed with what evidence I may have on hand. Before using any supplement, please check with your healthcare professional.

Pump up tracks, anyone?

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Beta Alanine Supplements; studies and more :)

So, what is beta alanine and why supplement with it?

Beta Alanine is an beta amino acid. Studies show that supplementing with beta alanine can have positive impacts upon both strength and lean tissue gains. This supplement is one of the few PROVEN supplements available on the market. Coupled with creatine, this combo makes for an awesome stack for any serious athlete. 4-6g doses of beta alanine are generally considered to be beneficial when taken over an extended period of time.

When I take beta alanine, I feel tingly. Is this normal?

Yes. This is known as paraesthesia and usually happens when someone consumes more than 10mg per kg of bodyweight. It is normal, so don't worry!

Do you have any studies on beta alanine to support its use?

Sure do!

Check out these studies below:

Some interesting studies for you science-y kids out there :)


Study 1: http://tinyurl.com/cvsd8pl

Purpose: Recent research has shown that chronic dietary β-alanine (βALA) supplementation increases muscle carnosine content, which is associated with better performance in short (1-2 min) maximal exercise. Success in endurance competitions often depends on a final sprint. However, whether βALA can be ergogenic in sprint performance at the end of an endurance competition is at present unknown. Therefore, we investigated the effect of 8-wk βALA administration in moderately to well-trained cyclists on sprint performance at the end of a simulated endurance cycling race.

Methods: A double-blind study was performed, which consisted of two experimental test sessions interspersed by an 8-wk βALA (2-4 g·d^-1; n = 9) or matched placebo (PL; n = 8) supplementation period. In the pretesting and the posttesting, subjects performed a 10-min time trial and a 30-s isokinetic sprint (100 rpm) after a 110-min simulated cycling race. Capillary blood samples were collected for determination of blood lactate concentration and pH.

Results: Mean power output during the time trial was approximately 300 W and was similar between PL and βALA during either the pretesting or the posttesting. However, compared with PL, during the final sprint after the time trial, βALA on average increased peak power output by 11.4% (95% confidence interval = +7.8 to +14.9%, P = 0.0001), whereas mean power output increased by 5.0% (95% confidence interval = +2.0 to +8.1%, P = 0.005). Blood lactate and pH values were similar between groups at any time.

Conclusion: Oral βALA supplementation can significantly enhance sprint performance at the end of an exhaustive endurance exercise bout.

Study 2: http://tinyurl.com/bpep5o2

In this narrative review, we present and discuss the current knowledge available on carnosine and β-alanine metabolism as well as the effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance. Intramuscular acidosis has been attributed to be one of the main causes of fatigue during intense exercise. Carnosine has been shown to play a significant role in muscle pH regulation. Carnosine is synthesized in skeletal muscle from the amino acids l-histidine and β-alanine. The rate-limiting factor of carnosine synthesis is β-alanine availability. Supplementation with β-alanine has been shown to increase muscle carnosine content and therefore total muscle buffer capacity, with the potential to elicit improvements in physical performance during high-intensity exercise. Studies on β-alanine supplementation and exercise performance have demonstrated improvements in performance during multiple bouts of high-intensity exercise and in single bouts of exercise lasting more than 60 s. Similarly, β-alanine supplementation has been shown to delay the onset of neuromuscular fatigue. Although β-alanine does not improve maximal strength or V˙O_2max, some aspects of endurance performance, such as anaerobic threshold and time to exhaustion, can be enhanced. Symptoms of paresthesia may be observed if a single dose higher than 800 mg is ingested. The symptoms, however, are transient and related to the increase in plasma concentration. They can be prevented by using controlled release capsules and smaller dosing strategies. No important side effect was related to the use of this amino acid so far. In conclusion, β-alanine supplementation seems to be a safe nutritional strategy capable of improving high-intensity anaerobic performance.

Study 3: http://tinyurl.com/co23dpr


ABSTRACT. Stout, J.R., J.T. Cramer, M. Mielke, J. O’Kroy, D.J.
Torok, and R.F. Zoeller. Effects of twenty-eight days of betaalanine and creatine monohydrate supplementation on the physical working capacity at neuromuscular fatigue threshold. J. Strength Cond. Res. 20(4):928–931. 2006.—

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 28 days of beta-alanine (b-Ala) and creatine monohydrate (CrM) supplementation on the onset of neuromuscular fatigue by using the physical working
capacity at neuromuscular fatigue threshold (PWCFT) test in untrained men. Fifty-one men (mean age SD 24.5 5.3 years) volunteered to participate in this 28-day, double-blind, placebocontrolled study and were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: placebo (PLA; 34 g dextrose; n 13), CrM (5.25 g CrM plus 34g dextrose; n 12), b-Ala (1.6 g b-Ala plus 34 g of dextrose; n 12), or b-Ala plus CrM (CrBA; 5.25 g CrM plus 1.6 g b-Ala plus 34 g dextrose; n 14). The supplement was ingested 4 times per day for 6 consecutive days, then twice per day for 22 days before posttesting. Before and after the supplementation, subjects performed a continuous incremental cycle ergometry test while a surface electromyographic signal was recorded from the vastus lateralis muscle to determine PWCFT. The adjusted mean posttest PWCFT values (covaried for pretest PWCFT values) for the b-Ala and CrBA groups were greater than those for the
PLA group (p 0.05). However, there were no differences between the CrM vs. PLA, CrBA vs. b-Ala, CrM vs. b-Ala, or CrM vs. CrBA groups (p 0.05). These findings suggested that b-Ala supplementation may delay the onset of neuromuscular fatigue. Furthermore, there appeared to be no additive or unique effects of CrM vs. b-Ala alone on PWCFT.



Unlike some supplement companies, we (Spartan Supps), only stock products that actually work and have scientific backing to support them. Stay tuned for more supplement info.






Want even more studies for this and other supplements? Then I highly recommend signing up to:
http://www.goonsquadforums.com/index.php
(It's FREE!)


Check out my thread in the supplements section of the boards. It's at the top of the page and is titled "Useful studies and links I have accrued over the years"





Disclaimer: As with all supplements, make sure you consult a medical/healthcare professional BEFORE you commence a supplementation program.

Charity!

Want to help out multiple charities?
Want to do it quickly and easily?

Steps:
1) Follow this link: http://www.thechildhealthsite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=5
2) Bookmark the page
3) Click to give hope and assistance. There are a few tabs. Please take the few seconds it takes each day to give hope.

It's free. It's simple. It works.

Cheers,
N4J4R

Chief Marketing Officer and Supplement Researcher,
Spartan Supps

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