Goals in sport: how to improve athletic performance

Nowadays, there are many variables that make an athlete evolve within their discipline. We could talk about concentration, motivation, constancy, dedication or commitment.

In this case, we are going to focus on a way to progress quickly and effectively through the goal setting. Researchers, sports psychologists and coaches agree that setting short, medium goals and long term, it is totally effective to improve the athlete's abilities, as well as to maintain motivation.

The importance of setting goals

This strategy is not a new idea; Well, in other areas such as the company or organizations it has been used for many years. A clear example would be the achievement of incentives or prizes, as a worker achieves certain objectives for the company.

However, the use of systematic goal setting in the training of athletes has been implemented more recently, and with excellent results.

Extensive research supports the efficacy of goal setting as a motivational technique and strategy that optimally improves performance.

Defining the term "objective"

An objective or goal is defined as the acquisition of an optimal level of performance in a specific task and in a time interval established in advance. From the perspective applied to sport, this strategy refers to the achievement of certain domains of a task that increase sports performance such as the improvement of a swimmer's personal brand in the face of a championship.

When we talk about setting objectives or goals, we mean designing a training plan focused on the achievement of small advances or steps, to achieve mastery of a certain skill. What's more, The main advantage of this goal or objective setting procedure, is that the establishment of tasks to master certain skills of a sport in a short period of time time, it entails that we compete with ourselves and motivate ourselves to exceed our own marks or limits.

Some mechanisms of the motivation process that are put into action are:

• Focus attention on the important aspects of the task, ignoring external variables that may disturb the activity.

• Launch the energy needed to achieve mastery of trained skill.

• Activate other variables, such as perseverance in the face of error or in the absence of this objective.

• Have a wide range of resources that allows the athlete himself to get out of any given situation in sports competition.

• The self realisation that is achieved, once you exceed the previously imposed objectives.

Classification of goals

The objectives or goals can be divided according to different aspects. For example, taking into account the period in which they are carried out, we would be talking about short, medium and long term objectives.

Short-term goals

The short-term goals or objectives, are scheduled to be achieved in one training week. For example, that an athlete manages to lower his own personal best in 1 second during the entire week of training.

Medium-term goals

The medium-term goals they are planned to be achieved in one or two months. For example, that an athlete can establish marks that allow him to compete in major events such as national or international championships.

Long-term goals

The long term goals are those that are established with a view to an annual season. For example, an athlete can compete with the best in an Olympics.

The importance of collective goals

There are objectives or goals referring to the athlete himself within a group or team. A team is a sum of individuals made available to the group. Therefore, improvement in individual performance will lead to improvement in team performance.

The objectives established for the athlete himself imply that he concentrates better on what he has to do at all times to achieve the final goals. Therefore, these are aspects that are individually trainable and that will benefit the group. For example, the striker who is proposed in each training to score a certain number of goals.

However, there are aspects that are only trainable at the collective level. For example, the defensive mechanism of a rugby team has to be perfectly coordinated for it to be effective in this way.

In summary, When we talk about goals or objectives referring to teams, each individual must put all his capacities to improve individually and collectively, having to be both compatible.

Characteristics of the objectives or goals

For the establishment of goals or objectives to achieve desirable results, the following must be adhered to.

• The objectives to be achieved must have a certain threshold of difficulty, attending to the athlete's abilities in a realistic way.

• They must be concrete (for example, lower my mark a second in two weeks), since these work better than general aspects. (I'll do my best).

• They must be tangible features, that can be measured. (Score five goals in a training match).

• Approach the objectives in positive terms; Since focusing on achieving success means focusing on achievement, rather than avoiding failure.

In short, the setting of objectives or goals within the training of any athlete, helps in an important way to the improvement of his own abilities and, therefore, to his progress, overcoming limits that not even the individual himself was aware of shake.