I got a message from a young trainer the other day asking if I knew (or used) any tricks that would help make writing training programs easier or less time consuming.
Other than suggesting he build his own trip in the DeLorean, skip a head 50 or so years to be cloned 17 times (and to see if anyone possibly cured male pattern baldness…asking someone I know) and then travel back to 2025 with “his” small army to help with the workload, I offered the following advice.
I thought this was a good topic to explain and decided to turn it into a blog post.
I hope it helps.
1. Practice makes perfect (sort of)
- If you want to get better at playing the violin… play the violin.
- If you want to get better at long division…do long division.
- If you want to get better at free throws…. practice more free throws.
- If you want to get better at not resting…go to Star Trek contracts.
I held, I held.
There is no way to cover this:
“If you want to get better at writing programs…write more programs.”
I have a folder on my desktop labeled Lisa, Do not open this folder Client Programs, and if I opened it right now and took the time to count the number of programs in it – which is an amalgamation of my eight years at Cressey Sports Performance, in addition to my ten years training people outside of CORE and Core Collective – I’d guess there’s at least, I don’t know, a billion programs.
Okay, let’s just say it’s a lot.
I’m by no means implying that I’m a whiz at writing programs and have things down to a fine-tuned science, but it stands to reason in my 20+ years of writing educational programs, I’m pretty okay with not blowing it.
That said, the sooner you accept the idea that it will take time, practice, and a lot of experience on your part to become “good enough,” the better off you’ll be.
But to answer the question: Is there a way to speed up the process of writing the program?
Well, it depends.
Many factors come into play – training age, injury history, goals, equipment availability, overall training frequency, favorite He-Man character (<– very important), to name a few.
I would say on average it takes me anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes to write a program.
Besides:
1. I rarely start from scratch.
I’ve written enough programs and worked with enough people to be able to sense Spidey similarities and correlations between one client and another. If someone has the same background and/or goals as a previous client of mine, I don’t have to reinvent the wheel. I can take someone else’s program, do some bada-binging and bada-booing (tweaking) and serve it up to someone else.
I pride myself on writing individual programs for all my clients, but I’m also realistic. Most of the time most people have to do the same things anyway. at least at first:
- Less bench.
- More series.
- Better scapular rotation and reaching (overall shoulder health).
- More single leg work and carry.
- More butt stuff (back chain in general).
- Deadlifts do NOT always mean using a bar or pulling from the floor.
- No, deep squats are not dangerous.
- Yes, your knees can go past your toes.
- Give your customers a little of what they want to do. Keywords to consider: “little”.
- If you ask me one more time whether or not you should go keto, I’m going to throw my face into a wall.
2. Understand that THERE IS NO PERFECT PROGRAM.
It’s inevitable to be overzealous with some people or belittle others, especially when it comes to choosing exercise.
I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t delete things in a program or make small adjustments, or revise the entire program.
Nobody’s perfect (except Ryan Gosling).
2. Remember: It’s THEIR Program, Not Yours
No quote is more appropriate here than one of Dan John’s classics:
“The goal is to keep the goal, the goal.”
Ranked #16 on my list of “man crushes”
If one’s goal is to get strong or maybe compete in powerlifting, then yes, they should probably focus on the classic barbell lifts.
Write a program to reflect this.
Kipping pull-ups probably aren’t going to get the job done. In reality, kick pulls are never going to get the job done.
Stop it.
Just stop.
If someone’s goal is to lose a bunch of fat, again, me could Doing bench strength is still important and that deadlifts (which use a lot of joints and burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. Also, the goal of any fat loss plan should be to KEEP the muscle you have. What makes muscle, keeps muscle. Lifting heavy is paramount.) can be beneficial.
But understand that there are many methods to complete any job.
Maybe someone would rather jump into a shark’s mouth than touch a bar.
Blasphemous, I know. But it happens.
If so, don’t be intolerant about it and force feed YOUR preferences over your customer.
A glaring example here is when you see bodybuilders training 55 year old female clients like the bodybuilders. Yeah man, I doubt she cares about the top of her bicep. I mean, maybe. But I doubt it.
Stick to the goals and consider your client’s preferences.
This can make writing programs much, much, MUCH more “free” and enjoyable. If someone likes to use dumbbells, incorporate more dumbbells. If someone doesn’t seem to be doing landmine drills, use more landmine drills.
Often, the #1 factor in a program’s success is ADHESION.
A client/athlete is much more apt to stick with a program when they like and want to do it.
3. Write programs in bulk
You are bound to be more efficient and “in the zone” when it comes to writing programs when you write them in bulk.
Instead of writing a program here and another there, sit down, have a cup of coffee (or tea), put on one of your favorite music writing programs (for me it’s Deep House or Norah Jones, don’t judge) and get to work.
I think you will find that it will increase your ability to write the program.
4. Have someone review your programs
Asking a colleague to take a look at some of your programs and provide some honest feedback is a great way to improve and sharpen your skills.
Of course, it helps to be someone who can take constructive criticism well. If your default reaction is to be defensive, stomp your feet, and yell “RUIN MY LIFE” when a friend suggests that it might not be a good idea to program back squats for someone with limited shoulder external rotation and consider front squats instead, you might want to stop that idea.
On the contrary, growing up will make you better and give you the opportunity to see things from a different perspective.
5. When in doubt, simplify
The next time you find yourself sitting in front of your computer screen thinking about putting your 16-year-old high school athlete in Close Grip Bench Press sets with weight releasers using a 5-0-7 rhythm while simultaneously repeating the alphabet backwards, on the elves:
- Stop
- Hit yourself in the pancreas.
- Hard.
- And remember to keep things simple.
Trust me, I know how easy it is to get caught up in adding innovation to your clients’ programs for the sake of adding innovation…but I assure you, most of them don’t care, and more importantly, most are better off without it.
The “boring” stuff will almost always be the best, and it’s likely that most of your customers will need it for quite some time.
Seriously, when in doubt….simplify.
And then just train the crap out of it all.
6. Various Pontiffs
– It would also be in your favor to lift weights. Practice what you preach.
– Avoid adding things to your programs that you haven’t tried yourself first.
– Network. Get well acquainted with local trainers and physical therapists. You will learn a ton.
– I can’t wait for Ted Lasso season 5 to come out.
– Also, not for nothing, but you didn’t notice that I used both the words “merge” and
“accept” to this blog post? You didn’t, did you?
