Goal Evaluation.....

What physical goal is most important to you: to improve physical strength, improve your physique, or increase your conditioning?  Think about it..... A lot of people want to be strong, lean, and in optimal physical condition and they try to focus on all three things at the same time.  What ends up happening?  Usually the area they enjoy doing the most  improves and everything else takes a backseat.

A while back I had a few different goals set up;
1. Perform a 475lb. Dead lift.
2. Get down to 8% body fat.
3. Run 20 hills with 1 minute rest in between.

I accomplished the 475lb. dead lift (a week ahead of time).  I have reduced my body fat, but not to the level I would like to have achieved.  On Thursday, I'll be able to determine if I make 20 hills or not.

Was the 475 dead lift MY most important goal?  Not really.  Because I'll be on a 7 night cruise and "shirtless" the majority of the time, as well as eating a lot of tasty food- the 8% body fat goal was little more important at this time. I'll probably be able to run 20 hills tomorrow and I'm pretty sure that after the cruise my dead lift could have improved, especially with some physical recovery and relaxing.

But why the dead lift?  What was the deciding factor in getting my strength up and not getting my body fat down? 
*trust me - I have gotten a lot leaner and lost a good amount of body fat

I can think of 3 reasons that I achieved my strength goal but not my physique goal.
1.  I love doing dead lifts (it's a great feeling to lift heavy weight of the ground)
2.  I love to eat.  When I "binge", watch out!  Remember, I'm a former fat boy.....
3.  I put a Youtube video on Facebook of a 455lb. deadlift and made a comment that I would hit 475 by the first week in June.  

I think all 3 reasons had a determining factor on which goal I achieved.  I should have been smarter, I could have posted pictures on facebook or my blog of my "quest for leanness".  Maybe that would have stopped me from ordering my second order or third order of food at Rocco's Tacos.  That "Cheat Meal" sometimes turned into a "cheat weekend".  Maybe being really lean wasn't that important in the back of my head.  Proving I can pull some weight off the floor is a little more motivating for me. 

Regardless of which goals I achieved or didn't achieve, I can't be upset with myself.  I got my body weight under 200lbs. on a regular basis.  I pulled 475 off the ground, and tomorrow I'm gonna run 20 hills like its a breeze.

When I reevaluate everything, I think I did achieve what I truly wanted.  There are a lot of lean individuals out there, but I don't know a whole lot of people who can pull a decent amount of weight off the ground with no wrist wraps or belt.

I've already planned my next strength goal (315 front squat) , when I get back from my honeymoon I'll post some video to keep me on track and give me a reality check every now and then.  As far as physique and conditioning goals, everything falls in place with a heavy ass front squat so I'm not too worried....