Training for a Goal: Sport, Test or Trip.

A date on the calendar changes how you train. A police fitness test, a half marathon in May, a ski trip in February or the first men’s league game in September each asks for something specific, and general gym work only gets you part of the way there. These guides break down what each goal actually demands of a body over 40, then lay out the weeks between now and the day.

Every guide starts from the real event: the actual test standards, the season, the distances and the movements involved. If you’re applying to an Ontario police service, start with the police fitness test prep guide, because the standard is fixed and you get one attempt. Runners should read the plan for a first half marathon over 40. Hockey players heading into a new season should start with conditioning for men’s league hockey.

Most goals in this section fit a 12-week block. If you want someone to build that block around your schedule and check your progress every week, see the 12-Week Body Transformation.