Categoriescoaching fitness business Program Design psychology

6 Ways to Instill Success In Your Clients’ Training Programs

The answer is easy: Tell them to add more weight to the barbell.

LOLOLOLOL.

I’m kidding (sort of).

Facetiousness aside1, I wanted to spend some time discussing a few strategies you can (hopefully) implement today that will make the training programs you write for your athletes and clients more successful.

Businessman target for success

6 Ways to Instill Success In Your Clients’ Training Programs

“Successful” in this context means 1) your clients continue to show up (bills need to be paid, yo!), 2) your clients don’t hate you (most of the time) and 3) as a corollary to your Jedi-like coaching skills, you turn all your clients into deadlifting Terminators.

I.e., they get results.

We often bog ourselves down harping over details like optimal exercise selection, exercise order, set/rep schemes, rest intervals, or even which type of muscle fibers are firing during which exercise.

Of course, this is not to insinuate all of the above aren’t important, they are. Except maybe the last one. If you’re going into that much detail with your coaching on something that won’t matter of 99.2% of the population, it’s safe to say you might be over-thinking things.

However, as fellow fitness pro Jonathan Pietrunti noted on my Facebook wall recently:

“If we don’t focus on bolstering the client’s intrinsic motivation and fostering self-efficacy, they aren’t going to show up for long, regardless of how awesome are programming is on the movement/physiological side of the house.”

You can design something worthy of a Program Design Pulitzer, but if your client would rather wash his or her’s face with broken glass than perform another front squat or set of bench pressing with tempo contrast, you’re failing.

You’re failing, hard.

1. Understand People Are Different (and That They’re Not You)

  • Powerlifters like to train people like powerlifters.
  • Bodybuilders like to train people like bodybuilders.
  • Kettlebell aficionados like to train people with kettlebells.
  • CrossFitters like to do #whateverthefuck.

Any well-thought out training program should fit the needs and goals of the client.

That goes without saying.

A mistake I find many fitness professionals make is that they write programs catered to what they like or how they prefer to train.

I don’t feel this is wrong per se; it’s only natural to default to your strengths and/or personal beliefs and methodologies. Where it becomes a problem is when we gravitate towards a specific modality at the expense of, well, everything.

I remember having a conversation with one of my young athletes recently who’s a rather big dude for his age. He mentioned in passing (and I am paraphrasing here) that his football coach wanted everyone to squat the same way:

  • Same foot width.
  • Same stance.
  • Same bar position.
  • Like a bunch of robots

Man performing a crossfit back squat exercise

He then demonstrated the exact stance his coach told him to use and maybe hit 70 degrees of hip flexion.

Let’s just say that if what he showed me was seen at an FMS workshop, people would become visibly sick to their stomachs.

I simply asked him him to widen his stance significantly and to externally rotate his feet a bit so his toes pointed outward.

He was able to hit a beautiful depth. Thus saving himself from the wrath of internet warriors everywhere.

(NOTE: I am not a depth Nazi. To me squat depth is arbitrary and all I am really concerned with is someone finding whatever depth they’re able to “own” & control. If it’s past 90 degrees, cool. If not, that’s cool too.2Either way we’re going to train the hell out of it.

The point being: If he had followed his coach’s poor squatting advice, assuming everyone is supposed to squat the same way, he may have never realized his full potential.

Everyone is different, and it’s important to respect unique leverages and anthropometry as it relates to not only squatting, but any lift.

Programming based around your client’s goals is paramount. But it’s also important to tweak any lift to fit the needs (and abilities) 0f the trainee, not vice versa.

2. Ensure Success in Every Session

This seems a bit redundant, I know.

“You write a post on how to instill success in a training program and you’re telling me in order to do so I need to….ensure success? Wow, Tony, that’s revolutionary. What’s next: telling me that in order to improve my vertical jump I should jump higher?”

The best analogy I can offer is the whole concept behind “girl push-ups.”

No, I’m not referring to a woman performing push-ups, which would make sense. Instead, I’m referring to the lame premise of women performing push-ups from their knees. I.e., “girl push-ups.”

I hate the connotation and message this sends.

Oh, you can’t do an actual push-up? That’s okay, lets pander to societal norms on engenderment, plant the idea in your head at an early age that women must train differently from men (flexed arm hang test vs. chin-up test), and do “girl push-ups” rather than take the time to coach and progress you accordingly.

If I’m working with a female client and she can’t perform a push-up (from the floor) – usually due to a core weakness or lack of lumbo-pelvic-hip control – I find it more productive to OMIT the “you’re a girl so lets do this instead” mantra, and instead demonstrate to her that she can do the exercise.

Either by having her perform elevated push-ups in a ROM where’s she successful, or possibly having her perform a band-assisted push-up, like so:

 

In both scenarios I’m addressing the actual weak-link (a weak core, or the basic novelty of the exercise) and not just tossing my hands in the air and relinquishing programming control to the fact she has a vagina.

I’m coaching.

And not only that I’m going out of my way to ensure a sense of accomplishment/success in each session.

This, my friends, is the key.

That and…..

3. Building Autonomy

Autonomy is the love-child of good coaching (and giving a shit).

Despite what some fitness pros may think, people aren’t paying you to count reps, they’re paying you to COACH.

On numerous occasions I’ve had new clients be taken aback when they realize I’m not counting their repetitions.

I’m too busy watching and coaching to count their reps.

Furthermore, I’ll tell all new clients that my goal is for them to “fire” me at some point. Not because I did something creepy like forget to wear pants, or, I don’t know, play Coldplay during heavy deadlifts.

No, I want them to (eventually) no longer need my services.

I want to make them their own best asset and advocate.

I want them to go on vacation or walk into a random gym and be able to “MacGyver” a workout in any scenario…whether we’re talking a fully-equipped training mecca or a rinky dink hotel gym that has nothing but a treadmill, dumbbells up to 35 lbs, and a roll of duct tape.

A Roll of Duct Tape

Dan John often speaks to program design being stripped down to nothing more than the squat, hip hinge, push, pull, single-leg variation, and carry.

Teach your clients that.

Force them to marinate in learning each category and what exercises belong where. In doing so they’ll eventually be able to jimmy-rig a workout without batting an eye.

They’ll become autonomous.

And a funny thing will happen: they’ll end up staying with you anyway because they understand the value you bring being a coach that actually coaches.

4. Provide Choice

I wrote about the power of choice in THIS article.

As it relates to providing fitness and program design services this can be a double-edged sword because:

  • If people knew what they were doing they wouldn’t hire us to make choices for them.
  • It’s often in their best interests to be told what they need to do and not what they want to do.

Taking away choice behooves them.

On the flip side, it can behoove us, the fitness professional, to offer some choice.

This can mean giving them the choice to pick their main lift of the day – Squat? Deadlift? Maximal frisbee toss?

Or maybe giving them the choice to pick the mode of the exercise. Say, a KB deadlift or a trap bar deadlift?

 

In the same vein, I’ve compromised with clients and “rewarded” them with a 5-10 minute window of doing whatever the they want – judgement free.

  • For many of my guys it’s all about the gun show – bis and tris baby!
  • For my ladies they’ll often congregate at the Hip Thruster

Whatever the case may be, offering your clients some choice is a splendid way to keep them motivated and engaged in their training.

5. Celebrate the Small Victories (Regardless of How Small They Seem)

I like to call this the Todd Bumgardner rule; although he has a much better way of stating it:

“Demonstrate unconditional positive regard.”

When I travel and workout at various commercial gyms I can’t help but observe other trainers in action.

Some are amazing. They’re engaged, actively coaching, and paying attention to their client, offering feedback and encouragement whenever it’s needed.

Others are, well, pretty shitty.

There’s zero effort in providing feedback. And if there is, it’s generally nothing more than a casual “nice job” or “way to go.”

via GIPHY

Celebrate the small victories!

You don’t need to do back flips or Parkour of the power racks when a client keeps their chest up during a squat.

But would a little enthusiasm hurt?

6. Simplicity For the Win

Consider this final point the Mise en place of the entire article.

I had a client admit that she was “frustrated” by the simplicity of the program I wrote for her. I took no offense, because it happens often.

Fast forward a few weeks, “Tony, I feel stronger and my lifts are going up!”

Strength coach nods approvingly.

I’m not the first to state this, but people tend to fall into the trap of adding stuff into their programs for the novelty, almost always at the expense of failing to take something OUT.

You can’t just keep adding more and more to a program and expect to make progress. Get rid of the superfluous BS that serves no purpose.

Moreover, fancy or elaborate looking exercises don’t equate to better. They great at receiving likes and vast applause on social media, but rarely do such exercises elicit actual results.[/efn_note]And I guaran-fuckin-tee that the person who posted the video doesn’t perform or utilize the exercise themselves in their own training.[/efn_note]

Categoriespersonal training Program Design

4 Keys to Staying Athletic As You Get Older

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of Boston-based personal trainer and S&C coach, Matthew Ibrahim, who’s latest (online) resource, Forever Athlete, is available for purchase.

Matt’s a phenomenal coach and I always gravitate toward his content because it’s so accessible and realistic. If you’re at all interested in “holding on” to your athleticism give this article a read and definitely considering checking out Forever Athlete program.

4 Keys to Staying Athletic As You Get Older

What’s one common theme with every single person below?

  • Female high school volleyball player with a 20” vertical jump
  • Adult male being able to perform hurdle hops with pristine technique
  • Middle-aged mom performing a heavy set of goblet squats
  • NFL running back with a 118” broad jump

Although this sample list above demonstrates people within varying populations, they all represent examples of athleticism.

The point? All humans are athletes, regardless of age or ability level.

Not only can we remain athletic as we age, we should do everything in our power to push the athletic envelope as the years pass. Ultimately, age should never be something that holds you back from feeling and being athletic.

Everyone is an athlete and everyone has the right to train like one, too.

Let’s break down 4 keys to focus on for the purpose of staying athletic as you get older:

  1. Jumping and landing for power development
  2. Lifting heavy weights to improve strength and reduce the risk of injury
  3. Building muscle to feel good and look good
  4. Conditioning for heart health gains (even though you hate it)
  5. Beating a pack of ninjas in a street fight (BONUS added by Tony. Sorry, couldn’t resist)

You do these 4 things on a weekly basis and I promise that your path toward long-term athleticism will be that much easier for you.

Jumping & Landing for Power Development

I just turned 33 last month – and let me tell you – I’m no spring chicken anymore.

Does this mean I should give in, create a lifelong indentation on my couch, bury my head under the pillow and binge as many Netflix series as possible until the rest of season 4 from Ozark officially drops?

Of course not.

Although, Ozark is awesome. (Tell me Ruth isn’t THE most bad-ass character ever!)

Anyways, my focus should be on continuing to do the things that I love while being strategic in the process.

Part of that includes playing pick-up basketball, feeling athletic in the gym and sprinting (when the weather permits). Jumping and landing become super important for me in this area if my goal is to continue hooping, sprinting and feeling athletic.

Jumping comes in a variety of forms, positions, angles and planes of motion. The simplest way to understand jumping is to break it down into extensive plyometrics and intensive plyometrics.

Here’s an example of an extensive plyometric exercise:

 

You see how there’s fluidity and rhythm involved? That’s because extensive plyometrics helps you focus on coordination at lower intensities so that you can get the hang of it. Think of extensive plyometrics as keeping the training wheels on.

In the opposite light, you can think of intensive plyometrics as removing the training wheels and letting it rip at higher intensities. The goal here is to be as explosive and powerful as possible.

Here’s an example of an intensive plyometric exercise:

 

The exercise examples above aren’t as important as the intent behind them. Use extensive plyometrics in the beginning stages as you’re learning and getting the hang of jumping. Then, start incorporating intensive (explosive) plyometrics once you’re ready to take on more force.

Just remember, the more force you produce in jumping, the more force that you’ll need to control when getting back down to the ground. This takes me to my next point: landing.

Controlling your body is pivotal for staying athletic. A simple way to do this is to build the ability to land with body control and organization. Basically, you want to look like Michael Jordan (OK, maybe one-tenth of that) every time he would land after throwing down a monster dunk.

Body control? Check. Smooth and fluid? Check. Organized? Check.

Power development is also important for people as they age due to the positive impacts it has on the nervous system, coordination and overall function when it comes to physical activity.

Planning to join your local adult club soccer team? Interested in being able to play pick-up basketball in summer rec league on a weekly basis? Or, maybe you just want to be able to play tennis with your friends soon since the warm weather is around the corner?

Either way, developing and harnessing power through jumping and landing is a pivotal step toward staying powerful, explosive and athletic.

Lifting Heavy Weights for Strength Gains & Injury Risk Management

I think this is the easiest “sell” on this list.

Honestly, unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past 20 years or living somewhere underwater as you begin the evolutionary process of turning into a mermaid, it’s become quite clear both in practice and evidence that lifting heavy weights (safely) is a no-brainer for building strength.

Of course, we always need to mention the importance of using good form and technique especially when it comes to lifting heavy weights. That should also be a no-brainer.

The other important part of lifting heavy weights, in addition to getting yolked (strong), is that you’re helping to reduce the risk of injury to your body.

How, you ask?

Well, every time you lift heavy weights, your entire body gets stronger. No, this doesn’t happen instantaneously like heating up a hot pocket in a microwave. It takes quality time to develop strength. On the shorter end of things, strength gains likely take a month or two to truly start seeing and feeling the gains. For more noticeable strength gains, it takes a year or two of hard work and consistency to really see things pay off strength wise.

When it comes to gaining strength, not only are your muscles becoming stronger, the rest of your body is as well. Muscular strength is important for the purpose of being able to produce more force, and in some cases, at faster speeds. Think about what we talked about in the previous section as it relates to power development. Pretty cool that strength and power go hand in hand, right? Science can be cool, sometimes.

More importantly, think about the importance of bone mineral density as we age. Think about having strong support structures in our body like joint strength, ligament strength and tendon strength. Remember: bones, ligaments and tendons all have an interplay (to some extent) with the muscles in our body.

Suffice to say that, when all is said and done, managing the risk of injuries becomes a heck of a lot easier when you’re stronger. Lifting heavy weights, relatively speaking, is also never a bad idea if your plan is to stay as athletic as possible as you age.

Building Muscle to Feel Good & Look Good

Arm farm is soon to be a national holiday. I swear, it’ll be on all calendars at some point soon.

Until then, why can’t we give in and just be more open about wanting to build muscle to feel good and look good?

Oh, so you’re not trying to build a sweet pair of biceps to flash at the beach this summer? So, what you’re saying is that, even though you just ripped off 50 reps of tricep extensions, that arm training isn’t important to you?

Sure, keep telling yourself that.

Or, let’s just all be cool about it. Look, I like building muscle, feeling good about how I look and chasing a pump just as much as anyone else. Admittedly, my calf muscles are often the target for when I’m trying to chase a pump, but that’s neither here nor there.

The point is that building muscle is actually a great thing if your goal is to stay athletic as you get older. Think of muscle as your body armor. This ultimately coincides with what we just talked about in the previous section.

(Side note: have you noticed a trend so far with how each section piggy-backs off of the previous one? Go figure.)

Lean body mass (LBM), otherwise known as muscle tissue, is a great thing to develop in the human body. Not only does having more muscle help you from a body composition standpoint, it also enables you with the ability to develop power and strength with more ease.

Building muscle and being athletic can both exist together in your weekly training. Looking good, feeling good about how you look and performing well are all achievable qualities with the right approach.

Conditioning for Heart Health Gains (Even Though You Hate It)

OK, OK. I get it. Nobody likes doing cardio or conditioning.

But, everyone wants to jump right into playing rec league sports, pick-up basketball games and flag football, right?

Stop for a moment and think about that.

(Crickets.)

Yup, exactly what I thought.

Doing the first thing makes doing the second thing much easier.

I’m not saying that you need to spend countless hours on the treadmill trying to morph into a hamster wheel. Nope, not at all. Instead, incorporate anaerobic (high intensity) conditioning intervals and aerobic (low intensity) conditioning intervals on a weekly basis.

Let’s simplify even more by having you consider adding in the following each week:

  • Anaerobic example = 1-2 days each week of sprints: keep the distance (15-20 yards) and volume (6-8 reps) short while the intensity (85-90% effort) and rest periods (60-90 seconds) are high.
  • Aerobic example = 1-2 days each week of tempo running: now, focus on longer distances (1 lap around the track) at lower intensities (70-75% effort) with a recovery walking lap in between and a higher total volume of work (1.5-2 miles).

These are simply a couple of examples you could use, but quite frankly, the options are endless. You could easily do sprint intervals on the bike instead for your anaerobic conditioning and 30-minute weight vest walking for your aerobic conditioning.

The primary goal is to hit some high intensity and some low intensity conditioning on a weekly basis. Think of high intensity conditioning as building your ability to be powerful for short periods of time and low intensity conditioning as building your ability to last for a long duration of time with more of a sustained output.

When performed together consistently, this type of weekly conditioning routine gets you fit enough to play all the pick-up games and rec league sports you want without ever batting an eye or stopping to consider whether or not you feel conditioned enough to play. Cardiovascular endurance and stamina are real game-changers and they’re super important in the process of maintaining your athleticism as you get older.

The best part is that being well-conditioned also positively impacts your ability to build strength, power and muscle. Overall, athleticism leans heavily on these 4 physical qualities.

Closing

Let’s face it: we all want to stay athletic and powerful as we get older. We all want to stay strong, durable and muscular, too. And, even if we hate to admit it, we know that conditioning is key for staying fit and healthy. Unlock your true athletic potential by focusing on these 4 key areas for staying athletic as you get older.

My online training program – Forever Athlete – places a strong emphasis on these 4 areas so that you can remove the guesswork and become the most athletic version of yourself.

About the Author

Matthew Ibrahim has been a Strength & Conditioning Coach since 2007 while working with athletes looking to build strength, improve performance and maintain healthy lifestyles. He is also a College Professor of Exercise Science and a Ph.D. student in Human & Sport Performance.

As a public speaker, Matthew has presented at EXOS inside Google Headquarters, Sports Academy (formerly Mamba Sports Academy), Perform Better, Equinox, Stanford University and for the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) on several occasions. His work has been featured in Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, T-Nation, Science for Sport, StrengthCoach.com, Exxentric, TrueCoach and TrainHeroic.

Connect with him on Instagram – HERE

 

New year resolutionsCategoriespersonal training Program Design psychology

Reframing the Way You Make Your New Year’s Fitness Resolutions

I can sense the eye rolls already.

“Really, Tony? A post on New Year’s resolutions? How profound and unimaginably unique!”

Touche.

I can appreciate that there’s no shortage of similar posts you’ve undoubtedly come across in recent days. You’re likely thiiiiiiis close to introducing your forehead to the keyboard in front of you.  What could I possibly have to say that’s any different or inspirational or less vomit-in-your-mouth(ish) that hasn’t been regurgitated ad nauseam already?

Read on…

New year resolutions

I Promise This Will Be Different

To follow the lead of my coach (I.e., I’m just going to cut and paste), Sarah Moorman, who had some sage words to share herself on the topic:

Almost 40% of the population makes New Year’s Resolutions. From that number, a vast majority of resolutions are within the gravitational pull of health/fitness:

  • Eating habits
  • Exercise habits
  • Building a pair of pecs that can cut diamonds
  • You know, stuff like that

However, much like Sarah, I’m more of a fan of, actually…I’ll just let her say it:

“I’m largely in the camp of setting goals about consistency to help set new habits. For example, instead of a weight loss goal of a specific number of pounds, I advise you to hit your calorie or macro goals 6 days a week.”

“Why?

If someone is more consistent with hitting their calorie goals, their focus is on their eating habits as opposed to the weight on the scale.”

To parallel this viewpoint, the other day T-Nation.com memed me, which is always an honor.

I’ve long championed the 3×52 mentality.

Do something (anything) 3x per week, 52 weeks out of the year (preferably with an emphasis on lifting heavy things3), and something stellar is bound to happen.

Why THREE days and not:

  • 4?
  • 5?
  • 6?
  • 7?

Well, because for most people 3x per week is a number they can wrap their head around; it’s not intimidating.

It’s doable.

It emphasizes REALISTIC consistency.

Like I said, T-Nation made the meme and then posted it up on their IG account the very same day. I had to chuckle at a number of the initial comments:

  • “6×52 is better.”
  • “No days off!”

So on and so forth.

I have a hunch that if I made a Venn diagram and the circles consisted of:

1️⃣ I have zero kids.
2️⃣ I have no family responsibilities.
3️⃣ I am not a coach and/or I read a book on fitness, once.
4️⃣ I like to brag about my 225 max deadlift and/or my entire identity is tethered to how many followers I have on IG.

That that would pretty much represent the type of person who would end up right smack dab in the middle of the diagram and who would make such asinine remarks.

Listen, you’re not a Spartan warrior or a Navy SEAL.

Relax.

Being hardcore (or pretending to be online) doesn’t get results long term. It’ll work, for a bit. Maybe. And then you realize you’re NOT Rambo or Valentina Shevchenko.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons

Being a bit more realistic with the degree of consistency needed and more importantly, expectations one places on one’s self, is key.

It’s human nature to dive right in and to go from zero to 60 without really thinking things through:

  • Says here this detox tea is legit. After 47 days my body will be cleansed of all these pesky “toxins” and I’ll be able to see sounds! Fuck my liver and pancreas. They don’t know what they’re doing anyway.
  • I haven’t exercised since before the pandemic, so I may as well start with some German Volume Training.

We all think we’re more advanced then we are and that we can skip all the seemingly unnecessary & annoyingly rudimentary steps to go from Point A (where we currently are) to Point B (where we want to be) in the fastest way possible.

Can people attain their health/fitness goals in such a haphazard way?

Sure.

But it rarely sticks, because they fail to hone in on the necessary habits to make things click long-term.

So, with 2022 upon us I encourage you to consider reframing the way you go about making your resolutions. Instead of saying “I want to deadlift a bulldozer” say something like “I want to follow a strength training program 3x per week for the next 52 weeks.”

The latter will undoubtedly be more palatable and realistic.

Categoriespersonal training Program Design Strength Training

The Art of the Indicator Set

The 21st century has graced us with a bevy of technological advances:

  • High-speed internet.
  • Telescopes that now treat us to images of Black Holes
  • Nanotechnology to help improve manufacturing, healthcare, climate change, and agriculture.
  • Pizza crust made out of cauliflower.

The health/fitness sector has also benefitted. Trainers have the ability to work with clients from all over the world in real-time.

Seriously, cauliflower is now used to make pizza crust! Even more miraculous is that it doesn’t taste like sawdust.

We also have the capability to measure things like bar speed and heart rate variability via applications on our phone; all of which provide data to help us gauge our “readiness” to train on any given day.

Technology surely is great.

However, when it comes to ascertaining one’s readiness to train I tend to lean more toward the anti-app route, and instead rely on what I call “INDICTOR SETS.”

Copyright: jegas

What the Heck Is An Indicator Set?

The easiest way to explain is via some anecdotal observances.

I was walking to my studio to train the other day where the plan was to show up, warm-up, crank a little Mobb Deep over the stereo, get angry enough to want to fight a tornado, and work up to a heavy(ish) triple on my deadlift (535 lb).

On paper it looked like a done deal.

But once I started warming up, things didn’t go quite as planned:

135 x 5

225 x 5

315 x 3

405 x 1 (didn’t feel horrible, but didn’t feel great)

455 x 1 (INDICATOR SET)

An indicator set basically lets me know whether or not I have “it” that day.

For instance, in the previous two weeks, 455 lbs (which is ~80% of my 1RM) literally flew up. Based on “feel” of my bar speed, and how effortless the set felt, I knew I could make a run for a high 500’s pull.

Put another way, I gave myself the green light to go for it, and I did.

Conversely, 455 felt like absolute garbage the other day.

It felt slow off the ground. And it felt even slower at lockout, which I normally never have any issues with.  The indication was: “Tony, if you attempt to go any higher you’ll run the risk of shitting your spine.”

So, I did the smart thing and called it.

I re-racked the plates, turned the page, and did my accessory work:  DB reverse lunges, a little pouting in the corner, and some pull-throughs.

Listen, it’s not a perfect system, nor is it anything remotely scientific. To be as transparent as possible: I am not anti-technology. But I am anti-technology to the point that many (not all) people tend to miss the forest for the trees when it comes to their readiness to workout.

If their Apple watch indicates a modicum of fatigue they’ll shut that shit down faster than you can say, well, apple.

Just because your watch says you should avoid training on any given day doesn’t necessarily mean you have to. Besides, I’m not entirely sold on the reliability of those apps anyway. I’ve had clients walk into a session feeling like a million bucks only to have their watch tell them danger, danger, DANGER, and to not even look at a barbell.

On the flip side, I’ve also had clients show up feeling like they made out with a petri dish, only to warm-up, move around a little, and then feel like Leonidas leading the Spartans to battle.

Indicator sets help you learn to FEEL whether or not you’ve got the juice on any given day. In short: It’s a form of auto-regulation that helps you to not have to rely on some algorithm.

Plus, it’ll save you a few hundred dollars…😙

At least in this scenario you’ll have some tangible, performance-based evidence to help you gauge things. Muscle fatigue is one thing and tends to be easier for many people to use as a metric.

If you’re overly sore you can feel that and tweak your programming accordingly. CNS (or nervous system) fatigue is a bit more nebulous and harder to pinpoint, or even feel for that matter.

Indicator sets help you with the latter.

To that end, I encourage you to start utilizing indicator sets as part of your warm-up on the days you know you’re going to be pushing the envelop. 

Pick a weight during your warm-up that you can use to “gauge” where you’re at that particular day. This number should be heavy enough to be challenging, but one you KNOW you can perform fast and with immaculate technique.

(this will likely be around 80% of your 1 rep-max)

Trust me.  The whole mindset of lift heavy or go home – while admirable – isn’t always the best approach.

kuroi@123rf.comCategoriesProgram Design Strength Training

3 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Better At Lifting Heavy Things

“I haven’t come across anything yet that can’t be cured by getting stronger.”

I heard this quote several years ago. I can’t recall who said it, but whomever it was was assuredly someone who’d make my top 10 list of people I’d want to hang out with.4

It stuck with me, and save for male pattern baldness I agree with it 100%.

3 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Better at Lifting Heavy Things

Outside of the minor nuisance of being the default person your friends & family rely on when furniture needs to be moved, there’s very little that can go wrong with getting stronger.

Athletes will typically jump higher, run faster, be able to change direction on a dime, and otherwise dominate the competition in their respective sport.

And they’re not the only ones who reap its benefits.

Getting stronger works wonders for regular gym folk (both male and female) as well. While many have a goal to perform better in their recreational basketball, flag football, softball, or Laser Tag league…

…building a solid foundation of strength bodes well for the more aesthetically minded individual too.

BTW: If you’re actually in a Laser Tag league, congratulations. You’re awesome.

For the most part strength = muscle.

Guys who can deadlift 2.5x bodyweight aren’t small.

To steal a train of thought from the great Dan John, women who can perform 5+ chin-ups (I’d even make the case for ONE chin-up) typically don’t need to fret over eating an extra slice of carrot cake.

And to that point, even if someone’s goal is fat loss, the more muscle they have the less “aggressive” they’ll have to be on the dietary side of the equation. This isn’t to imply the process is any easier and that you’re less likely to want to stab someone in the throat whenever you’re hangry. But, for all intents and purposes, those who have more muscle (and therefore probably a solid base of strength) generally don’t need to go into “I hate my life mode” when it comes to dieting.

Stronger people tend to be more resilient and don’t get hurt as much either. The saying “getting strong(er) is corrective“ can’t be stated enough.

Above all, those who are stronger are generally harder to kill once the zombies eventually take over.

So what are some factors that prevent or deter people from getting stronger?

Omitting the obvious culprits like not using progressive overload, listening to one syllable that comes out of Tracy Anderson’s mouth, or, you know, dying, below are a few less common talked about factors.

1. Recovery

I put this first because:

1. It’s that important.

2. Admittedly, it’s the most boring and most likely to be glossed over.

HINT: DON’T SKIP THIS.

 “You’re only as strong as how well you allow yourself to recover.”

Physiologically speaking you don’t get stronger (or bigger) during a workout. You break down muscle tissue and accumulate fatigue.

Both are necessary and it’s what causes the body to adapt, grow, and become stronger and stuff.

However, it’s how well you allow yourself to recover in between bouts of training which dictates consistent and long-term progress.

This can mean any number of things.

It’s hydration, it’s ensuring ample total calories in a 24 hour period (peri and post-workout nutrition isn’t nearly as life-and-death as we’ve made it out to be in the past), it’s keeping up with soft tissue quality (foam rolling, occasional massages), and most importantly it’s making sure you go the fuck to bed.

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Nothing kills all the hard work you put in the gym then not getting ample sleep at night.

I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with high-school, collegiate, and professional athletes throughout the years where they’re scratching their heads as to why they’re not getting stronger and why they always feel as if a mack truck ran them over:

  • Are they not doing enough sets/reps?
  • Maybe it’s because they’re not taking “x” supplement?

Only to find out they’re up until 2-3AM every night playing Halo or flipping left/right on Tinder.

It’s a drastic example, and most reading right now aren’t quite as oblivious.

But this does speak to those of you who stare at a television, computer screen, or iPad for hours leading up to bedtime (or what I like to call nighty nights sleepy time) which then results in less quality rest.

I’m a huge proponent of setting a ritual for bed.

My wife and I bought room darkening curtains to block out as much outside light as possible, and I always sleep with a fan on at night to serve as “white noise.”

In addition I’ll always read in bed.

It’s more or less a signal to my body to “shut up.” And, to be honest, it’s rare that I can get through five pages before I’m nodding off.

So, long story short: GO TO BED.

Also, to the CrossFitters reading: it’s okay to take a day off occasionally. It works wonders for recovery. And no, going into your box on “free days” to perform a front squat Tabata or, I don’t know, ‘Alejandro’5 doesn’t count.

If you want to do something go for a walk.

2. You’re Lifting Heavy Things Too Much

I know many of you reading are thinking I’m off my rocker with this one, but hear me out.

There’s a popular line many strength coaches have used throughout the years:

“Far too many people are concerned with constantly testing their strength (1RM) rather than building it.”

I couldn’t agree more.

For the fun of it, audit yourself.

When was the last time you tested your 1RM in something?

If you’re like most people it was yesterday. And prior to that it was last week. And prior to that it was the week before that.

Don’t get me wrong: Training in the 85-95% 1RM range IS important from a strength development standpoint. Here we see many positive adaptations, like:

1. Maximal number of motor units are recruited.

2. Fastest MU’s are activated (high-threshold motor units).

3. The discharge frequency (rate coding) is increased.

4. Activity – inter and intra muscular coordination – is synchronous.

5. Potential for future hypertrophy gains (especially when you revert back to a “hypertrophy” specific training phase).

6.  At least 37 IQ points (<=== it’s science).

Photo Credit: Elitefts.com

However, it’s important to understand that most of the popular strength-based programs out there – 5/3/1, Cube Method, Juggernaut, etc – the bulk of the volume hovers in the 60-80% (1RM) range.

That’s in stark contrast to what many people perceive as the right approach when strength is the goal.

To reiterate: It’s still very important to train heavier than that – and the above programs do include work in the 90% + range – but it doesn’t have to be as frequent as one might think.

Training heavy all the time is going to wear you down. Not only will your joints take a beating, but it’s neurally taxing as well.

In the end, for most people most of the timer, it’s SUB-MAXIMAL work that needs to be prioritized more frequently.

Not only does it ensure immaculate technique – which allows people to “express” their strength more effectively – but it helps in building a much larger base so you can attain a higher peak (in strength).

3. Making Stuff Harder For the Sake of Making It Harder

Some people just want to be crushed in the gym, and that’s cool. I appreciate and respect whenever someone likes to work hard and get after it.

Here is where I have a TON of respect for CrossFit.

But making an exercise “hard” for the sake of making it hard (or to make yourself feel tired) won’t necessarily equate to better results.

When I write a program I need to be able to back up my rationale for every exercise I have someone perform. It’s easy to make someone tired.

Push a Prowler for 30 minutes.

It’s a whole nother ball game to enhance someone’s performance; to get them better. I need to be very particular with what movements and exercises I include given someone’s goals, injury history, and current ability level.

You know the saying “you’re only as strong as your weakest link?” Well, if getting stronger is someone’s goal that’s pretty important.

When most people think “get strong” they look to the big 3: squat, bench press, and deadlift.

In terms of any accessory movements I include in a program, 95% of them are going to be aimed at addressing some form of weakness or technique flaw in the aforementioned big 3 lifts.

The other 5% is dedicated to bicep curls.

Because, biceps.

A Few Examples

  • Someone is falling forward or having a hard time out of the hole in the squat – An easy fix would be to have them spend more time within the ROM they’re having the most trouble in. Pause squats for 2-5s (with 50-70% of 1RM) is an excellent choice. Another option here is to perform more Safety Squat Bar squats
  • Someone is weak off their chest in the bench press –  Again, more time spent where they’re weakest would be ideal. Pause bench press or maybe high(er) rep sets with the Spoto Press.
  • Someone is weak at lockout with the deadlift – Dedicated speed/technique work with a lower % load would work, as would adding chains to the lift, or maybe some RDLs.

The theme to hammer home is to use your accessory work to address something useful, rather than making exercise hard for the sake of making it hard.

CategoriesProgram Design

How To Build Success In Your Training Other Than Just Adding More Weight

Ask 99 out 100 people what’s their “marker” for success in the weight room and they’re likely to say something related to how much weight is on the bar.

“If the bar’s not bendin, you’re pretendin.”

Or something to that effect.

Copyright: langstrup

 

How to Build Success In Your Training (Other Than Just Adding More Weight)

I can’t disagree with the above logic.

If someone is lifting more weight on a particular lift this week compared to the previous week, and is following that mantra on a consistent basis, you can bet they’re going to make significant progress in the gym.

This approach is an easy, straight-forward, and fool proof way to “build” success into any program.

Right behind the “lift more weight” mentality – and serving as yet another fool proof way to champion progress – is the idea of manipulating the total number of sets and reps.

Add in an additional set or two6 and/or perform more repetitions of an exercise at a given weight and you’re doing more work.

In other words: (Cue slow clap here)

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Lift heavier loads or lift “x number” of weight for more repetitions and you have yourself some progressive overload.

Wash, rinse, repeat…….F.O.R.E.V.E.R

I think both approaches are spot on, and something I’ve discussed in past articles like HERE and HERE.

However, as much as I want to kiss that train of thought on the mouth without buying it dinner first, it does have its limits.

A recent exchange with a client of mine got me thinking: Are those two approaches, truly, the only way(s) to ensure success in a program? Is telling someone “just suck it up and lift more weight” the unequivocal best idea or approach?

I mean, how would you answer the following comment?

“So I totally understand why I shouldn’t add more weight if technique isn’t great, but what am I supposed to do if you’ve decreased the overall load?

If I’m doing less reps or less sets of a similar number of reps from the previous week and I don’t increase the weight, I’ve done less work than the week before. How will I see/get gains?”

I can’t say for sure, and my translation could be a little fuzzy, but if I were to open up my client to strength coach dictionary7 I’m pretty sure she’s insinuating that I’m trying to steal her gainz!

via GIPHY

I’m not.

Let me explain.

To me, another way to build success into anyone’s training is something not many people take notice of or even consider in the first place.

And that is……

“Feel” of a Set

To me, technique is paramount.

Especially when working with newbies or even intermediate lifters.

The reason why many tend to hit a speed bump or fail to make continued progress in their training is because their (shitty, or less than exemplary) technique doesn’t allow them to express their full strength.

Too many energy leaks due to form breakdown and, subsequently, poor alignment up and down the kinetic chain, leads to stagnant, sub-par progress.

Most have a hard time making any progress.

With regards to my client I broke it down like this:

“The reason why you crush 105 lbs. on the front squat and technique breaks down when you increase the weight to 115 lbs. is because you haven’t taken enough reps with 105 (or lower).

You need to build your volume with QUALITY reps, and earn the 115.”

Also “feel” of a set/rep matters.

Let’s say in Week #1 I call for five repetitions at “x” weight. I’d rather you stop your set at three repetitions than perform two reps with crappy technique. How are those final two reps going to make you better?

Grinding out some reps here and there is fine – and at times I’d encourage it. But I wouldn’t make a habit of it, because it doesn’t allow you to groove good technique.

Another way to think about progression is like this.

Week #1

Rep #1 = solid.

Rep #2 = pretty solid.

Rep #3 = meh, I got it, but that wasn’t solid.

Rep #4 = oh shit.

Rep #5 = I think I just destroyed the back of my pants.

Week #2

Rep #1 = dead sexy.

Rep #2 = dead sexy.

Rep #3 = solid.

Rep #4 = pretty solid

Rep #5 = okay, that wasn’t fun.

The idea here is to judge the feel of a set, and to take into account that that DOES MATTER.

If in Week #1, with a certain weight, a few repetitions make you hate life (or are not doable with passable technique), your “progression” is going to be to ensure that ALL repetitions are on point before you even think about increasing load.

That’s another way to build success into your training.

Don’t dismiss it.

[Smoke bomb, smoke bomb, exit stage left]

Categoriescoaching Program Design Strength Training

How To Make Your Programs Programs Your Clients Will Actually Follow

This article is not going to dive into the x’s and o’s of program design.

For that you can peruse my Resources Page and find plenty of options to fit your fancy. Instead, today, I wanted to peel the onion (so-to-speak) and discuss the layers of program design that rarely get discussed.

Copyright: wavebreakmediamicro / 123RF Stock Photo

How to Make Your Programs Programs Your Clients Will Actually Follow

This post is going to hit on the more nitty-gritty and nuanced stuff.

The stuff that is the culmination of equal parts time under the bar, experience, and not sucking. The stuff that, while I feel are very important and what helps to separate the great coaches from the sub-par ones, might come across as trivial or inane to some, and certainly won’t win me any additional Instagram followers.

Wow, I’m really selling it here aren’t I?

Lets dive in.

1. It’s Not About You

No, really, the programs you write have nothing to do with you.

Copyright: sean824 / 123RF Stock Photo

Sure, you’re writing them and it’s your expertise and coaching people are paying for. However, the program should be about your client/athlete and reflect their needs and goals.

I think it was Alwyn Cosgrove who first coined the phrase

“You should write programs, not workouts.”

On top of that, and equally Earth shattering, is a common quote I often defer to from the great Dan John:

“The goal is to keep the goal, the goal.”

Any Joe Schmo with biceps and a weekend personal training certification can write a hard workout that will make someone hate life.8

Writing a program – one that’s individualized – serves a purpose, addresses one’s unique injury history, caters to his or her’s goals, takes into account ability level, and on top of all that, is flexible, takes some thought, professionalism, skill, and attention to detail.

Listen, I am all for getting people strong (which, granted, is subjective) and I can appreciate anyone who places a premium on having their clients squat, deadlift, bench press, and deadlift.

Deadlift is listed twice….because, deadlift.

However, if your client is a newbie or is just looking to lose 10-20 lbs, or could care less about benching 2x bodyweight, the program should reflect that.

There’s two extremes that generally end up happening:

1. Trainer/coach doesn’t give a shit. Client shows up, trainer is ill-prepared, and what follows is some smorgasbord of laziness, complacency, and fitness industry cliches. I.e., client is paying for a babysitter who just so happens to show them how perform a shitty looking lunge.

2. Trainer/coach does give a shit. Albeit is too much of a narcissist to recognize that because he or she prefers to train like a powerlifter, Olympic lifter, bodybuilder, or CrossFitter, doesn’t mean ALL of their clients need to train the same way too.

Before you know it you have:

  • 14 year old’s who have never mastered a squat performing Tri-Phasic 1-Legged Pistol Squats vs. Bands while dragging a sled
  • 35 year old house wives working on their quad sweep
  • 55 year old CEOs with poor shoulder flexion performing kipping pull-ups for AMRAP.

Makes sense.

At the end of the day people are more apt to follow and stay invested in a program – long-term – if they know it’s catered to them and has their best interests in mind.

Like it or not, this is a SERVICE industry….and while I recognize there’s a bit of head-butting between what people need to be doing and what they want to do, it’s your job as the fitness professional to find and include that balance.

2. Avoid Fitting Square Pegs Into Round Holes

Yo, check it.

1️⃣ No one HAS to back squat. And if they do, no one HAS to use the low-bar position.

2️⃣ No one HAS to pull from the floor. And if they do, no one HAS to use a straight bar.

3️⃣ No one HAS to bench press. And if they do, no one HAS to use a crazy excessive arch. Or use a barbell for that matter.

4️⃣ No one HAS to listen to A Tribe Called Quest radio on Pandora. But you kinda do. Trust me.

Another “trap” I see a lot of fitness professionals fall into is marrying themselves to any ONE way to do or perform anything.

For lack of a better way of putting it: I fucking hate this way of thinking.

I lose a lot of respect for coaches who are that narrow-minded and unwilling to understand that there are other coaches out there getting just as good (sometimes better) results not doing what they’re doing.

Piggy backing on what was mentioned above (on individualization) – everything kinda falls under this umbrella…from exercise selection, order, and even the variation.

I mean, if someone has the shoulder mobility of a pregnant rhinoceros it makes zero sense to force them into back squatting, let alone using a low-bar position.

Photo Credit: Menno Henselmans

It won’t do them any favors and will likely frustrate them as it will feel weird (possibly even hurt) and will do little in building a greater degree of competency.

If I felt squatting was still important for them and it fit into their goals, a better way to build success (and competency) would be to use a SSB (Safety Squat Bar) variation or maybe even Anterior Loaded KB Front Squats:

 

Here I can still groove a sexy squat pattern but take the upper body restrictions out of the equation.

Likewise, with deadlifts, no one outside of a powerlifter or weightlifter must pull from the floor. It’s a rare instance – kinda like a Centaur or a vegan dish that doesn’t taste like wallpaper – when someone walks into my gym on day one and can demonstrate the mobility (and stability) requirements to do so safely.

Honestly, my first order of business with many people is to help them find their hip-hinge before I worry about lifting anything heavy off the floor.

To that end, if someone lacks the ankle dorsiflexion, hip flexion, or t-spine extension to get into proper position, maybe a trap bar would be a better option?

I find it’s a more “user-friendly” way of introducing the deadlift.

What’s more, in terms of stress and sheer loading on the spine, the trap bar will be a better option for most people anyways. With a straight bar the center of rotation is further away from the bar, whereas with a trap bar it’s right smack dab INSIDE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-sA3PG1kGY

 

Want to make your programs programs your clients will actually follow?

One of the best strategies is to include exercises and movements that best fit their ability level, shows them success, and helps to build competency.

Everyone is different. Respect that.

3. Other Stuff I Was Going to Elaborate On But This Post is Already Long Enough

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1. Write Shit Down.

As in, write down and keep track of what your clients are doing per session (and encourage them to take ownership and do it themselves).

A funny thing happens when people start to keep track of what they do session to session. This little thing called progressive overload manifests and people start seeing results.

It motivates them.

Soon they’re lifting weights (for reps) they couldn’t sniff three months prior.

And it’s a beautiful thing.

2. Experiment with Semi-Private Training

My good friend and former business partner, Pete Dupuis, wrote a fantastic article on this topic that you can read HERE.

It’s not for everyone, but I find the semi-private training model works like a charm to help motivate people. There’s a lot to be said about being surrounded by like-minded individuals and training amongst a group of people who will push you, encourage you, and call you out when you skip sessions.

3. Know When To Back Off

This coincides with what I mentioned above when I said a program should be flexible.

You may have programmed for a client to work up to a few heavy sets of triples on their deadlift on a particular day, but they show up and it’s readily apparent they had a horrible night’s sleep, or maybe they’re just mentally exhausted from resisting the urge all day to Sparta kick their boss in the throat.

Regardless, whatever was planned is…just…not…going…to…happen.

You better have a plan B in your back pocket.

4. Don’t Forget To Put In Stuff They WANT To Do

It bears repeating, this is important: I’m all for playing the “there’s a reason why you’re paying me, I’m the expert” card.

But it’s only going to work in your favor to toss your clients a bone and not take yourself so seriously sometimes.

My female clients love it when I put in some extra glute specific work at the end of their training sessions. My male clients are 100% down for a quick 5-minute “Sun’s Out, Guns Out” arm finisher.

Pants optional.

5. Sprinkle in Some Markers

As in, don’t be afraid to write in prescribed loads you want your clients to hit.

I find many people are notorious for underestimating their ability (or maybe hesitant to push the envelop) and need a little nudge from their meanie head strength coach.

Here’s an example of what I mean, a snidbit of a program I wrote for one of my female clients last month:

Week 1: Trap Bar Deadlift

  • 3 sets of 5 reps @ 155 lbs

Week 2: Modified Sumo Stance Deadlift

  • Warm-up
  • Hit 200×1
  • Then 3 sets of 4 reps @ 180 lbs.

Week 3: Modified Sumo Stance Deadlift

  • Warm-up
  • Hit 205×1
  • Then 3 sets of 2 reps @ 190 lbs

Week 4: Modified Sumo Stance Deadlift

  • Warm-up
  • Hit 215-220×1
  • Fist pump x infinity
  • Then 3 sets of 5 reps @ 160 lbs

One of her goals, before the end of the year, was to hit a 200 lb (straight bar) deadlift. She crushed that goal, a few months early mind you, because I didn’t baby her and gave her some markers to hit.

Here she is hitting 210 for an (easy) single:

She’s been nailing her training sessions, and all because I used a little Jedi mind-trickery and told her what weights to use.

Want to motivate your clients? Challenge them and prove to them they can do stuff.

Categoriespersonal training Program Design

The Best Approach to Writing Effective Programs When You’re a New Trainer: Trial and Error

Copyright: Johannes Mattern

Trial and Error = An Underutilized Way to Learn

About a two weeks ago I received an email from a newly minted trainer in the industry who had read THIS article on program design I wrote not too long ago.

Sheepishly, he admitted that program design was one of his weak points and that he felt he was ill-prepared to write effective one’s despite having recently completed the certification process.

I could relate.

I recalled how in the first few months of my personal training career I felt like an abject failure when it came to writing programs for my clients.

Here’s how it went:

Client: “Hi.”

Me: “Hi.”

Client: “Can you write me a program to help me reach my goals?”

Me: “Brb.”

(cooly turns around and heads off to the back room to hyperventilate into a paper bag)

(10 Minutes Later) Me: “Yes, I can do that.”

In the time between those initial few months and now I’ve written roughly, I don’t know, 5,000-7,000 (+/- infinity) programs for a menagerie of individuals and backgrounds. Many have been influenced by books I’ve read, lectures I’ve listened to, and/or conversations I’ve had with other colleagues of mine.

Moreover, many have their roots in me just spit-balling and experimenting with an idea of concept. There’s a thought process behind them of course; I’m not just blindly tossing things at the wall and seeing what sticks.

However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t just come right out and say that a portion of my program writing process is me just saying to myself, “let’s see what happens if I do this.”

No one has died or lost an appendage yet…😉

More to the point: I’ll be the first to say that NONE of my programs have been perfect. Even today I am constantly x’ing stuff out, changing this exercise to that, adjusting loads, regressing, progressing, or otherwise flat out changing my mind.

Sometimes I’m overzealous, sometimes I’m too reserved.

Sometimes I’m wrong.

I’m not scared to admit it.

Nevertheless, the point is: I am always leaning into the process and accepting the fact that I am (and will always be) thiiiiiiis close to grabbing that paper bag.

Which brings me back to the new trainer from above.

As he and I were corresponding back and forth he proposed something to me. He wanted to see if I could help him find another coach to mentor him and to possibly write programs for a few of his current clients.

  • He’d provide the details.
  • The other coach would write the program
  • Then he’d want to “dissect” the program with the other coach to ask more of the why’s and how’s behind the program.

I gave him two pieces of advice:

1. To seek out a local trainer/coach that he could shadow/observe on a semi-regular basis. This is something I wish I would have done earlier in my career.

It would have helped tremendously.

There’s an abyss of value in having the ability to watch another coach in real-time do his or her thing and to also have the opportunity to ask questions.

Most coaches are more than willing to have people stop by and shadow.

2. JUST DO IT.

Oftentimes the best way to learn or get better at something is by doing.

  • If you want to get better at playing chess you play chess.
  • If you want to get better at a particular type of dance you do that dance.
  • If you want to get better at not getting laid, you go to Anime conventions.
  • Juuuuuuust kidding.9

I reminded him that he won’t write perfect programs. That’s an awful expectation to put on himself. I reiterated to him that his client’s wouldn’t need “perfect” programs, but rather just some semblance of progress.

Let’s be real: Most people see improvements in spite of what their program has them doing.

It’s more about being consistent with something, anything than it is whether or not they’re following an undulated, block periodization plan centered around quasi-isometric eccentrics.

If you’re a new trainer the best way to learn how to write programs is to jump in and do it.

Trial and error is a great learning tool.

CategoriesProgram Design

Putting on a Show vs. Just Coaching

A few weeks ago my good friend, Luke Worthington, and I were texting back and forth on why I hate him so much because I’m not him (6-4, 230 lbs, ripped, smart, British, pfffft whatever Luke) programming and coaching.

Specifically, we both commented on the facade that some (not all) fitness professionals seemingly lean into on social media

Even more specifically, we attempted to excavate the difference between what I would refer to as “putting on a show” and actually coaching people.

Copyright: tonobalaguer

Circus Tricks

Our conversation took root when we brought up something we had both observed on another colleague’s Instagram account and the abject silliness it projected.

Now, I’m not going to name names; it’s not my nature to do so. And, to be honest: I try to always keep an open mind whenever I see something eyebrow raising from other coaches.

I mean, who am I to say what’s a legitimate exercise/drill for their client?

  • I don’t know their client’s injury history.
  • I don’t know their client’s goals.
  • I don’t know their client’s ability level.
  • I don’t know the purpose of that day’s session.
  • Maybe there’s a perfectly fine rationale for that particular exercise (even though running over their right arm with a Prius for AMRAP would have been a better use of their time).

I keed, I keed.

Nevertheless, Luke is based in London and works with a number of high-profile people ranging from Hollywood actors/actresses, models, magazine editors, and various professional soccer players.

During our chat he mentioned he had started working with a well-known actor who’s currently prepping for a rather significant action role.

Nope, not Jason Bourne.

Alas, not James Bond.

In the name of discretion, I can’t reveal the actor’s name. It would be uncouth for me to do so, and I certainly wouldn’t want to divulge anything that Luke himself hasn’t divulged.

Negative, not him either. But OMG, I wish.

I haven’t come close to working with the same volume of “high-end” clientele that Luke has worked with in his career. That being said, I’ve worked with many professional baseball players throughout the years (especially during my time at Cressey Sports Performance), and did happen to rub elbows with Hollywood recently.

And I have to say…

…it’s hard not to put on the facade.

To quote Luke:

“When you were working with Rosamund (Pike) did you find it hard not to put on a show? Did you feel you had to impress her with new and innovative exercises? That you had to provide more of wow factor? I find it exhausting sometimes working with people in the entertainment industry.”

At first, yes.

Rosamund joining the 100 lb deadlift club working with me at CORE.

But then I realized that she was just a person like everyone else and needed the same shit as everyone else.

Moreover, once I understood that all she was looking for was a solid training session where she could have an hour to herself to be away from the movie set and away from the chaos, it became much less daunting to me.

I kept things simple.

  • She deadlifted.
  • She squatted.
  • She carried stuff.
  • She hoisted stuff.
  • She threw stuff.
  • She listened to sick techno beats.

All I did was to ensure the exercises were coached well and that they matched her ability level.

I didn’t feel the need to put on a show.

And she and I had a lovely time together.

Back to Luke, though.

In addition to texting back and forth about the pressure to perform and avoid reneging on our mutual intuition to just keep things simple, we also went back and forth a bit on his client’s programming.

Luke noted that his client’s role will require a number of shirtless scenes and that the expectation is that he must look the part; broad shoulders, pecy pecs, cut arms, etc.

The caveat, however, is that this client also has a number of shoulder issues that limits his ability to perform certain exercises pain free.

Luke’s a more than capable coach to devise a suitable trainable menu for his client. That said, he and I were going back and forth on some ideas when he noted that during a prior session he had his client perform a double landmine press.

 

For most coaches this exercise is quite standard or even inane. It’s nothing extraordinary or flashy (especially by social media standards).

However, Luke’s client loooooooooved it.

It targeted parts of his body he needed to bring up for the role AND he was able to perform it pain free. Luke could have easily made the exercise more sexy by setting the barbells on fire, or, I don’t know, having his client press with one arm while juggling a chainsaw on the other.

Instead, what Luke did was be a coach.

And, frankly, that’s what most people need whether they’re Thor or Tina.

Categoriescoaching Program Design

The Hardest Topic to Write About: Program Design

NOTE TO READER: This is a re-post of a blog post I wrote back in 2017. It’s still the shit. You should read it.

There aren’t many topics harder to write about than program design.

I mean, I guess we can make a case for Biomolecular Feedback Systems or the intricacies of Mass Spectrometry,10 but in my neck of the woods – health/fitness & increasing people’s general level of badassery – program design can be (and often is) an arduous topic to break down.

It’s often a rabbit hole full of platitudes and people majoring in the minors.

Copyright: dolgachov / 123RF Stock Photo

 

I don’t know how many sets your client should perform. Or reps. And I don’t know if back squats would be a better fit than front squats.

The answer to any programming question will always be “it depends.”11

Did Tony Just Say Program Design is Dumb and Useless?

Um, no.

What kind of coach would I be if I said that?

Of course it’s important. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t say it’s imperative for any personal trainer or coach to be competent in that area and have skills.

A particular set of skills.

Skills that make you a nightmare for excess subcutaneous fat and sub-par deadlift technique.

via GIPHY

^^^^ See what I just did there? ^^^^

There aren’t many things more simultaneously rewarding and frustrating than writing training programs for people

Emotions can range form “yep, I nailed it, my girlfriend will be in the next Olympics” to “fuck my life, I suck at writing programs.”

Moreover, if we were to be honest, and if we really think about it, nothing is more hypothetical than writing programs for people.

It’s all a guessing game.

I’m serious, I can think of several things less hypothetical than writing programs for people:

  • A Sasquatch.
  • A 14 hour orgasm.
  • Lightsabers.
  • A good Transformers movie.12

Sets, reps, which exercise to do, and in what order?…it all falls under the umbrella of “I think this will work.”

“I’m pretty sure this person should trap bar deadlift instead of using a straight bar.”

“11 reps, Definitely 11.

“Shit, did I leave the oven on?”

I mean, hopefully your guesses aren’t coming from left field and made with some modicum of education catered to the goals, needs, and experience level of each client/athlete you work with.

There are a multitude of factors to consider when writing a program. There’s no such thing as a one-size fits all approach.

It’s something entire books take 500+ pages to explain and people get fancy degrees in and stuff.

One of my all-time favs: Christian Thibaudeau’s Black Book of Training Secrets

I am not going to get into the nitty-gritty of program design in this little ol’ post. I’ll peel back that onion at a later date. But there are several tenets of program design that are widely accepted across the board.

Including but not limited to:

Periodization

The organization of the training process. More to the point: It’s the planned variation in training volume and intensity over the course of a training program

This can be accomplished using Micro, Meso, or Macro Cycles:

  • Micro – Usually one-week in length
  • Meso – Usually 2-8 weeks in length, and often the most utilized.
  • Macro – Usually one-year in length (typically reserved for competitive athletes and/or SuperHeroes.

Mesocycles (2-8 week blocks) are the most common and can often be broken down into specific categories:

1. Doing Stuff. Or, What Uppity Strength Coaches Call General Physical Preparedness (GPP)

This is a phase where most people will start and it entails improving things like ROM of a particular muscle, flexibility, strengthening of weak muscle groups, addressing movement quality deficits, and using it as an opportunity to teach proper technique on certain exercises and drills.

2. Specific Physical Preparation (SPP)

My good friend, Joe Dowdell, often says this is where the bulk of the general population – particularly those who work with personal trainers – will stay.

This phase can have one of two focuses:

  • Accumulation – where the main stressor is volume (strength endurance, hypertrophy, etc)
  • Intensification – where the main stressor is intensity (Max Strength, Relative Strength, Speed Strength, Strength-Speed, etc)

3. Specific Training Phase

This is most often reserved for athletes and honing in on the specific demands of their sport of choice. Everything from exercise selection, speed of movement, energy-system work is specific to the sport.

4. Competitive Phase

In short, this covers IN-SEASON training. When I was at Cressey Sports Performance how we programmed for a baseball player during his IN-season training drastically differed from his OFF-season, mostly in terms of training frequency and intensity.

Types of Periodization

Giving credit where it’s due, the bulk of these descriptions are taken from Joe Dowdell’s Program Design Manual.

[NOTE: Sorry, good luck finding it. You’ll have better odds at finding The Invisible Book of Invisibility.]

1. Sequential Method (Linear)

This method uses specific intervals of time in order to develop a singular goal or strength quality.

This is where many beginner clients will start (as well as those who are injured).

  • Long Linear Method – Beginners live here. As weeks pass, volume decreases as intensity increases. The concept of “do more work each week” is hammered home here.
  • Short Linear Method – Uses 1-3 weeks and tries to fix the shortcomings of long-linear approach. Is a way to prevent de-training of strength qualities.

You can also think of this method as NSCA Essentials 101:

Preparation —> Hypertrophy —> Strength —> Power —> Competition —> Active Rest

The pitfall, unfortunately, is that this approach isn’t optimal for more advanced lifters/athletes as it’s tough to train multiple qualities at once.

2. Undulation Method

This is a very popular method and one I use often with my own clients. This is where you perform several different workouts in a repeating cycle, focusing on a different rep-range, exercises, or both.

A classic example is something like this:

Day #1 = “Heavy” Day; where all exercises are performed with low(er) repetitions (3-5) using heavier loads.

Day #2 = “Medium” Day; where all exercises are performed with more traditional “hypertrophy” styled rep-ranges (8-12)

Day #3 = “Light” Day; where all exercises are performed with high(er) reps (15+), tickles optional.

The above approach can be a considered “Daily Undulation.” You can also implement a weekly undulated approach, where the training stress fluctuates weekly.

All in all it’s a nice way to keep training fresh and allows trainees some variety.

3. Concurrent Method

This method allows for training multiple qualities at the same time in a given time period. The most common examples of this method is Westside Barbell and CrossFit.

Westside Barbell = Max Effort Method, Repetition Method, Dynamic Effort Method.

CrossFit = Wall Balls, Kipping Pull-Ups, Double Overs, and Running Over Your Left Arm with a Prius for AMRAP. Dope.

4. Conjugate Method

This is a variant of Concurrent programming. Here, you’re still training multiple qualities but with an emphasis on ONE goal while maintaining all others with a minimal volume.

5. Block Periodization

This is described as a linear series of blocks that focus on several abilities at once. For high-level athletes and competitors this seems to be the preferred approach.

With this method there’s one dominant quality being emphasized (maximal strength for example) with a secondary focus on a different quality (muscle hypertrophy, bringing sexy back), all using a sequence of meso-cycles:

Accumulation (4 weeks) – develop basic abilities such as general aerobic endurance, muscle strength, movement quality, etc.

Transformation/Intensification (4 weeks ) – develop specific abilities like anaerobic endurance, specialized muscular endurance, and event specific technique.

Realization (2 weeks) – pre-competition, which typically emphasizes maximum speed and recovery prior to event. Otherwise known as “you’re now ready to go rip shit up.”

The Training Hour Pie

Mike Boyle speaks to this often. If you have a finite amount of time with a client or athlete – say 60-90 minutes – it’s important to structure each training session to fit the goals and needs of the person and prioritize a certain percentage of the pie accordingly.

That’s the meat-and-potatoes of (good) program design.

Most programs, day-to-day, breakdown as follows:

  • Soft Tissue Work – 5-10 minutes
  • Mobility Work/Dynamic Warm -Up – 5-10 minutes
  • CNS, Reactive, or Speed Work – 10-15 minutes (jumps, skipping, agility, plyometric, OLY Lifts)
  • Strength Training – 30-40 minutes
  • Energy System Work – 10 minutes
  • Recovery & Regeneration – 5-10 minutes.
  • Netflix & Chill – optional (but not really)

There will be fluctuations in how much time you allot to what component person-to-person. Some may need to spend more dedicated time on tissue quality, while others may need to up their conditioning.

However, it’s well accepted that most training sessions should follow this “flow,” and it’s your job as the coach to figure out the details.

All of This to Say

When I’m asked to speak to undergrads or young fitness professionals I often balk at the idea of discussing program design. I refrain from writing about it, too. They all want the answer, the big idea, the overarching thesis.

It’s impossible to do.

It’s all talk.

Stop talking.

Don’t get me wrong, the talking is important. It behooves any aspiring fitness professional to have a base understanding of anatomy, physiology, exercise science, and biomechanics and to talk things out.

To speculate, pontificate, question, maybe proselytize.

It’s also important to, you know, read books. I’d never say otherwise.

But it’s also important to consider that reading, talking and pontificating – while part of the “Turning Pro” process – doesn’t in any way, shape, or form suggest mastery.

Action does.

I’d argue the best way to write effective programs is through experience and letting yourself marinate in trial-and-error.

It’s not necessarily about how many books you read, seminars on the topic you go to, or how many “Masterminds” you attend. That’s all well and good and does matter. But having the guts to finally break the inertia of inaction, to finally stop talking, and to finally put things into action (often failing miserably)…that’s when things get interesting.

And when the not sucking begins.