08/24/2021
I’m ending this really long no post drought with a series on what things I think about when writing programs. The big thing to note here is that these are MY thoughts which could be wildly different than other really great coaches out there.
1. Keep it simple - programming get very complicated very quickly. You have hundreds, if not thousands of exercises to pick from and an infinite amount of variables to consider. It can get overwhelming. Focus on the basics and movement quality. Don’t chase novelty.
2. Everything needs to have a rationale - If you can provide a reason for an exercise that applies to the client’s specific needs or goals there really isn’t a “wrong” way to program. If you can’t, you are truly doing your client a disservice. Busy work is not good work.
3. Plan backwards from goals - have a rough plan to get your clients to their long term goals. Lots of times this means accomplishing smaller short term goals first and progressing towards those big goals. I say rough plan because things change constantly, you’ll always have to adjust but as long as you know where you’re going you’ll get there.
4. Prioritize according to needs and goals (rocks, pebbles, sand) - imagine your training week as a jar you want to completely fill with rocks, pebbles and sand. You need to put in your rocks (high priority movements) first, followed by pebbles (movements similar to your high priority movements) then sand (accessory movements). Otherwise you’ll have room in the jar and you won’t be training as efficiently as possible.
5. Order from high technique/multi-joint movements to more simple/single joint movements - there are always exceptions to this rule based on previously mentioned thoughts BUT in general, this will encourage good position throughout the workout more consistently. Fatigue is a very significant limiting factor.
