10 Programming Principles:
Structuring a Progressive, Well-Rounded and Sustainable Training Plan
Yesterday, I was asked to lend a critical eye to a workout log; the individual’s concern being that their training was insufficiently thought-out and not quite scientific enough. Perhaps because taking the initiative to record workouts requires an especially motivated type of person, this was only the second time that I’d been asked to look at a pre-existing log or program. Clients typically come to me as a blank slate, or looking for a fresh start. This being the case, I shouldn’t have been surprised to conclude that this person was on a more structured, goal-oriented path than they were willing to give themselves credit for.
By looking at the process of programming in reverse order, and in explaining to the lifter all the things I felt they were doing right before I filled in the few remaining pieces, I started thinking in more detailed terms about the criteria I’ve learned and applied to successful training plans over the years. While I am still very much in the weeds of learning the art and science of programming (with so many variables at play and a range of methodologies to manage them, there’s always more to learn), here are some reflections on ten tried-and-true principles that I don’t foresee changing my mind about any time soon:
Minimum Effective Dose
In pharmacology, the therapeutic range of a drug lies between the Minimum Effective Dose (MED) and the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD). The MED is generally defined as the lowest dose level that provides a beneficial response, while the MTD is the highest level that allows for a therapeutic effect without being toxic or otherwise causing damage. While it should be self evident why this range is critical to determine for safe drug prescription, how does it translate to training?
The biochemical processes that occur in your body when you lift weights are the direct cause of muscle failure, muscle fiber damage and CNS fatigue. Your body’s ability to recover, and the subsequent adaptation, results in increased strength. This means that training = stressor; recovery = strength.
Goodness knows we all have enough stressors competing for our body’s limited resources these days; why apply an arbitrarily higher dosage of any stressor that exceeds what is needed to result in a direct health benefit, produce a specific training outcome, or sufficiently prepare an athlete for competition? Anything more is risking increased potential for burnout, injury, or even detracting from the overall effectiveness of the program due to a decreased ability for the body to sufficiently recover before the next training session. (Requirements for meeting health vs. performance goals are predictably different, but that’s a conversation for another time.)
At a certain, extremely elevated dosage, you will exceed your body’s ability to recover, and training effectively becomes toxic. In the CrossFit world, we’ve all been warned of rhabdomyolysis; in endurance sports, athletes have been known to suffer heart attacks (albeit rarely); on the field and court, ligament tears are a dime a dozen. These are, of course, examples at the tail end of the exertion spectrum - testaments to finding the very real limits of what a body can tolerate, and the unfortunately acute consequences that may result.
Realistically, what we have to consider when it comes to laying out a program is more long term. Overtraining (or, under-recovering) surfaces in many forms, such as: extended bouts of decreased performance, often coupled with lack of motivation; elevated resting heart rate and blood pressure; decrease in appetite on unplanned weight loss; trouble sleeping; increased epinephrine and norepinephrine levels beyond normal exercise-induced levels, constant soreness, nagging injury, and plateau. These are all signs that your intensity, volume or training frequency currently exceeds your body’s ability to recover, adapt and reap the rewards of training.
While a program can’t force the athlete to sleep, eat nutrient-dense foods, or RICE sore limbs, it can incorporate the principle of minimum effective dose as a first-rate preventative measure against overtraining. Effective implementation includes:
Planning 1-3 non-negotiable rest days per week. Adjust up or down as needed based on the athlete’s response.
Moderating volume and intensity for strength training by adhering to a reasonable rep range for a given percentage across all primary lifts (see Prilepin’s table below or this article by Mike Reinold on using RPE scale to gauge intensity).
Implementing conditioning workouts that take into consideration the appropriate variation and frequency of workout duration + heart rate zone given the athlete’s capacity. Joel Jameison’s article summarizes this nicely, and goes into much more detail about how to test conditioning levels, definition and importance of the three HR zones, along with other criteria for writing effective conditioning workouts:
“Clients with low conditioning levels – 3-4 days per week of 30-45 minutes in the activation zone, 1 day per week of 20-30 minutes in the threshold zone.
Clients with moderate conditioning levels – 3-4 days per week of 45-60 minutes in the activation zone, up to 2 days per week of 30-40 minutes in the threshold zone, no more than 1 day of 15-20 minutes in the VO2 zone.
Clients with high conditioning levels – 2-3 days per week of 60 minutes in the activation zone, up to 1-2 days per week of 30-45 minutes in the threshold zone, no more than 2 days per week of 20-30 minutes in the VO2 zone.”
Not relying on workouts that serve the sole purpose of subjecting an athlete to reckless volume just for the sake of crushing their soul or making sore, and ensuring that movements are chosen to serve a purpose.
Most importantly - if the athlete is not meeting the goals of the training program, and especially if they are experiencing any symptoms of under recovery, continue to adjust variables until this resolves.
2. Progressive Overload
Progressive Overload refers to the well-accepted method of implementing gradual increases in the stress placed upon the musculo-skeletal and nervous system over time to stimulate muscle growth and promote strength gains. This stress can take the form of increased volume, intensity, frequency or time. An example would be: adding 5 pounds to your back squat each week, or keeping the weight the same while adding 1 rep.
Seems like common sense? The method was developed by U.S. army physician Thomas Delorme as he rehabilitated soldiers in the 1940s, at a time when the exertion caused by lifting weights was considered potentially dangerous for the heart. It’s safe to say that science has come a long way since then! The tricky part is not so much in understanding the concept, but implementing it in a way that isn’t so aggressive that it leads to burnout, or so conservative that you end up holding the athlete back from reaching their potential. Unfortunately, the sweet spot is extremely variable from athlete to athlete. Fortunately, athletes are self-aware, and can let you know how they feel! This is where the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) scale is extremely valuable - check in, see how things feel, and adjust accordingly.
3. SAID: Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands
If Progressive Overload looked like common sense masquerading as science, this one will make you laugh. Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID) refers to the concept that you get better at doing the thing you train to do. Literally, that’s it. If you perform 10x50m sprints each week, you’ll get better at sprinting. If you perform 6x800m, a 45 min long run, 3 x mile repeats and a 20 min fartlek as your weekly training routine for a month straight, your 5k time will almost certainly improve. If you do a wall ball EMOM to failure each Thursday, your wall balls are gonna be great - but you won’t expect to get better at pull ups, cleans or sit ups. It’s almost laughable, right? Why would I even bring it up?
Here’s why: Sometimes, we forget that random training leads to random results. It’s easy to get distracted with fancy exercises from the internet, or cherry pick workouts, or veer off of a plan without even realizing it. And while that’s all fine and fun when no real goals are at stake, we can’t turn around and be disappointed when muscle ups pop up in a workout and you begin, seemingly inexplicably, to fail at reps. Basically: A) Train the skill you want to have, and B) Boring, consistent, repetitive work leads to exciting, rewarding, repeatable progress.
4. 2-3 Goals/Focal Points at a Time
This one is the first thing I establish when designing a program, before anything else goes on paper. What one to three lifts, skills or performance points will dictate this training cycle? I’ve observed that trying to attack more than three goals makes sustainable progress a challenge - and sometimes, if it’s big enough - one goal is the way to go. Keeping goals sweet and simple leaves important room for creativity and variation in the remainder of the week's training, ensures that you also have space to incorporate the necessary accessory work to assist with primary goals, and allows your body and brain to stay on track without getting overworked and overwhelmed. An example of goals that may coexist in one 6-12 week training cycle would be:
1) Achieve 10 Unbroken Pull Ups 2) Hit a #200 lb Clean 3) Handstand Walk 25 feet
-or-
1) Improve Positioning in the Snatch Pull 2) Overhead Squat #150
-or-
Run 1600m in under 5:00
5. Work Within the Larger Scale of Intelligent Periodization
(image taken from academy.sportylizer.com)
Periodization is the systematic planning of training in order to achieve peak performance at a given point in time (e.g. a test-out day or competition). It involves breaking down periods of training into cycles. The first and largest cycle, the Macro cycle, is usually associated with one year of training. The goal may be to peak for a single important competition, in which case all training occurs with this intention in mind. Macrocycles are made of a handful of Meso cycles, which may be anywhere from 3 weeks to 4 months in length. Meso cycles typically represent a phase of training in which a major facet of performance is prioritized - foundational strength and work capacity; speed and power development; strength and intensity. Microcycles are typically represented by one week of training.
Even if you’re not training for a major competition(s), taking a step back to look at the larger framework enables you to be smart about not trying to attack too much at once - going back to point 5 (setting no more than 3 goals at a time), prioritizing cycles reminds you to be patient. Say that the first 6-8 week cycle of the year serves to prioritize back squats and pull ups, the next for deadlift and bench, and third for endurance and skill work, and the fourth snatch and clean and jerk. Knowing your current goals as well as what lies ahead allows you to train in peace knowing that each movement that holds a level of importance will get it’s time and place. YOU choose what to prioritize and when - there are countless ways to effectively organize your training - so that you can sit back and trust the process without trying to cram in everything at once. It’s also great to reserve a cycle for prioritizing your favorite means of exercise outside of the gym - hiking, trail running, pickleball, soccer, mountain biking or swimming. After all, being able to do the fun stuff is likely part of the reason why you show up to the gym.
Finally, remember that just because your current cycle is, for example, back squats and pull ups DOESN’T mean that you never deadlift or do a conditioning workout. ALL primary movement patterns and aerobic/anaerobic work should continue to play a role no matter what cycle you’re in - periodization simply means that you shifting the percentage of work to allow for progress vs. maintenance, (or ‘attack mode’ vs. ‘backburner’ ... however you want to look at it).
6. Unilateral Movement is Necessary, Not Accessory
I’ve yet to meet a single athlete or client whose body functions symmetrically. We’re too efficient at adapting to life and sport’s one-sided demands for that. It thus follows that despite having two sets of limbs, we have to look beyond the obvious, and train beyond the barbell. Many of us get away with it in our early years, only to reap what we sow somewhere down the line. Kettlebells, single leg deadlifts, lunge variations, suitcase carries, banded pressing, pulling and resisting - these tools and movements act as continuous preventative measures for injury, and do wonders for staying in the fitness game for a lifetime. If one side is stronger, don’t ignore it like your least-favorite vegetable. Bolster it with unilateral work. It’s okay to let your stronger side relax for a while - it’s done plenty already.
7. Know when and how to be flexible.
Not a single program will be followed as-written. People get sick, injured and have bad days. The worst thing you can do is force feed a worn-down athlete the day’s training with no regard for their current capacity to handle more stress. The best thing you can do is listen, make appropriate adjustments on the fly, and then send them home early to eat and sleep so they can attack the next day with gusto.
8. Program for the individual in front of you, not everyone or anyone else.
It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing - if their training plan or approach to fitness doesn’t meet your client’s goals (or yours, if you’re writing your own programming), it’s not for them. It’s easy to get distracted, but do your best to stay the course until it’s time to re-evaluate and set new goals.
9. Set a Daily Goal
Similar to the macro-meso-micro cycle structure, your goals need to be organized accordingly. This includes yearly, monthly, weekly and even daily goals. I realize that the concept of daily goals sounds intense, and probably excessive. (Especially for someone like myself, who is as averse to goals and metrics as I am intrigued and motivated by them. Then again, they would be neither intriguing nor motivating if they didn’t require a bit of bucking up.) I came to the idea of daily goals when I heard a weightlifting coach request them of his youth athletes. My first reaction - as with anything that incites accountability and intimidation - was to scoff. That’s ridiculous. How are you supposed to meet a new goal every day, let alone come up with one? Isn’t that too much to ask of yourself? Is it even necessary? I had this same reaction when I went through Yoga teacher training and was taught to start class with a daily intention.
When it comes down to it, these two instances are the same. Their purpose is to remind you to:
a) check in to your body and brain’s current situation and state
b) usher concerted effort and mental presence to that day’s workout
c) create accountability to ensure that your efforts in the workout align with your longer-term goals
Your goal on any given day could range from:
“Hit my lifetime Back Squat PR”
to
“Show up to the gym.”
to
“Hold myself accountable to not hitching my cleans today, and drop down in weight or slow the pace as needed.”
to
“Take a nap instead because I got 4 hours of sleep before a 10 hour workday and my body is not in a place to workout right now”.
to
“Hit all my wallballs for the workout in sets of 15.”
Those are all great examples of daily goals that serve the purpose of making them in the first place. If you have a training log (which is always a great idea), I would include a separate category for outlining your daily goals, as well as other notes for how the workout went. Did you meet your goal? Why or why not? What else did you notice about how the workout went? Record, reflect, reassess!
10) Leave time for creativity and spontaneity.
You know how kids around the country are experiencing the negative effects of reduced time at recess? Well adults are, too. When was the last time you did a cartwheel or skip for the heck of it? I hope, for your sake, that it was very recently. Realistically, social barriers and racing minds keep us away from that sort of childish nonsense. Which is really too bad, seeing as the benefits of unstructured play are uniquely powerful. Not only does it remind you to find light and joy in your training, it acts as a destressor while facilitating creative thinking skills. Plus, excessive structure and rigidity is never fun, and we NEED to have fun if we’re going to keep doing this for the rest of our lives. Balance out the progressive skill, strength and speed work with a weekly 30 minutes of do-whatever-you-feel-like? Sounds like a great way to keep you coming back in full force for the hard stuff. Tony Gentilcore, co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance and Boston-based Trainer, wrote about the benefit of allowing his clients ten minutes at the end of each session to work on whatever they want. Not only does this provide the client/athlete with agency in their own training, it facilitates coach-athlete teamwork and may serve as a learning process for the coach, too.
Well, there you have it. Ten principles for a well-rounded training program, as I see it. I hope it helps! There are always exceptions, alternative opinions, and so forth. If anything doesn’t sit right with you - or you have any other relevant notes, or similar lessons and experiences, write a comment and let me know!
