5 Reasons Your Program Sucks

I have spent a LOT of time writing programs.

I've written them for a boat load of people, and a whole lot of different reasons and outcomes.

Many of them are highly personal for 1-1 or small group clients.

Some of them are designed for groups that need to be structured yet flexible to still cater to the individual within the plan.

Plenty have had high performance goals and outcomes.

Even more have been catered to body composition, health and fitness based goals.

But no matter the person, goal or situation, there are some things that are always present in highly effective programs, and their absence in others is usually the reason why a program sucks.

So let's run through them and make sure you're not going to be a victim of a program that sucks.

Your program sucks because...

1. There's A Lack Of Progressive Overload

For a program to be effective, it will need to feature progressive overload.

That means gradually doing more over time, forcing the body to adapt and get better in the desired ways in the process.

You'll often think of this as simply more weight on the bar, but it can be a whole host of other things too.

Things like adding a rep or two, adding an extra set, using a more challenging tempo, adding in a pause, using a harder variation of the movement, reducing the your rest periods.

All of these things can help ensure your session today is a little harder than the one you did yesterday or last week.

And for me the clearer this progression is to see, or the clearer it is explained in your program, and the easier it is to execute... the more successful your program will likely be.

So make sure your program features progressive overload somewhere to make sure it doesn't suck.

2. There's Too Much Variety

For the vast majority of people, less variety is going to be better for progress.

The people you look to who have made really enviable progress have probably stuck to the same few things for a lot longer than you have, and they've reaped the rewards of it.

This doesn't mean that all variety is bad. Variety can be great for engagement and excitement. This stuff makes sure people actually turn up and train.

But if your program has back squats one week, deadlifts the next, and walking lunges after that... how do you know how to progress?

How do those things compare? How do you ensure progressive overload?

How do you know you've worked harder other than by perceived exertion, sweat and tiredness?

These are all poor measures of the effectiveness of a session.

I'll usually leave a main movement in a program for AT LEAST 6 weeks to allow you to build some momentum on it. It allows time to learn it, master it and overload it.

Much less than that and you're leaving progress on the table.

Highly varied programs and highly likely to suck.

3. It's Too Complex

Along the same lines, a lot of programs these days try to stand out by being highly complex both in terms of programming and exercise selection.

Don't use complex means to solve simple problems.

Simple structure, progression and execution are the hallmarks of highly effective and rewarding programming.

High complexity and lack of flexibility are hallmarks of a coach who's letting their ego get in the way.

Plus, if you run the simple stuff for as long as possible while they remain effective, you keep the complex stuff in your pocket for later.

Get to the complex stuff too soon and you'll be making progress that you could have made doing the simpler stuff. Not special extra progress... just the same or potentially worse progress.

Plus you now can't go back... and now your program sucks.

4. It Includes Too Much Hard Work

My biggest bug-bear with current programming trends is the desire for constant hard work.

Sure, you need to work hard to force your body to adapt. You need that progressive overload after all.

But not everything needs to be vomit inducing or a sweat fest.

If you only hit the gas and never take time to refill the tank you're going to burn out... or have to slow down at least.

If you hit the gas intermittently with regular fuel stops you'll go a lot further.

When people get this wrong it looks like either too much work too often at 85%+ in their compounds, or filling their programming with nonsense like burpee over whatever object you just lifted x infinity or ragging on a Concept 2 piece of kit in between sets in the name of "conditioning".

No matter how hard it feels it doesn't work. Less is often more, as it allows you to actually push hard on more recovery and ice your cake rather than digging effort out of the deepest hole.

Make sure your program isn't just hard work thrown on a piece of paper, because if it is it sucks.

5. It's Not Individualised

Something that is designed for you is something that will be more effective than something that's designed for "someone".

That's why Personal Training is a premium service, and Online Coaching is premium compared to an online group program.

Things can be adjusted and tailored to your exact needs and wants, making more engaging, responsive and effective for you along the way.

But this doesn't mean that a group program can't be great.

It just needs to be clearly flexible enough to adjust to your needs.

It needs to adapt to when you miss a session. It needs to adjust to how many pull-ups you can or can't do. It needs to offer options for you overhead mobility or lack of.

But too many programs for groups offer no flexibility, or a scaled down version that doesn't hit the same way as the full-fat equivalent.

Make sure your program is serving YOU... otherwise it probably sucks more than it needs to.

Ian.