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Programming
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Breaking Down The Program
We can break this program sheet down pretty simply.
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Green arrow pointing to sets done per exercise.
Sets are dependent on a few factors including
Yellow arrow pointing to the attempted weight range. When determining weight you have a few different ways of allowing yourself to get to a point close to failure (the bar is getting slightly slower but you are pushing hard), which is usually the overall goal for strength. As long as the weight is sufficiently heavy enough and you do enough reps you can get gains. Violet arrow pointing to the attempted rep range. Rep ranges are set depending on the goal of the lift. High quality power work will be in a lower rep range usually 1-5. Hypertrophy work can be achieved with a wide range of reps. However, to keep from getting unnecessarily sore and to keep set times shorter we rarely breach 15 reps for most exercises with hypertrophy in mind. When it concerns strength, depending on the individual, we would see most of our work done in the 1-8 rep range. Individuals who are just learning an exercise or those recovering from injury or medical procedure can have higher rep ranges to keep the weights from becoming too risky. Red arrow pointing to the area filled out by client. |
Sheet can be set to dark mode. Light mode used for demonstration purposes ONLY!
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Programming Examples
In the following examples lets go over
a few different programs and break down
different parts of each of them so we
can get a clearer picture of how
this can work for individuals of differing needs.
a few different programs and break down
different parts of each of them so we
can get a clearer picture of how
this can work for individuals of differing needs.
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Programming Example 1
Here is an example of a smaller,
new females routine. This individual has one hour, 2 days a week to train. This program places an emphasis on glute and upper body strength. 
After 6-8 weeks of progressive overload and some exercise variation, our next programming block looks like this: 
You will notice the latter program is more difficult in almost every way. Reps may stay the same if weighs or sets increased and vice versa. Increasing weight when possible before reps and sets will increase strength and muscle mass without generating excessive fatigue and soreness (not useful!). Training in the progressive overload style can help make sure your technical form is on point before you increase the weight. You may also notice that some of the attempted reps and weights have a range in them. This allows the client some upward motion when they are by themselves during their training, without the program itself becoming too strict or complicated. A strict program can be hard to adhere to on bad days while an overly complicated program can bog down your ability to get in and out of the gym. |
Programming Example 2
Let's look at a snippet of another
clients training. This client is a lean male who has five days to train but only 30-45 minutes in his gym during those sessions. The program has an emphasis on the chest and shoulders right now. This time lets look at exercise selection and amount of exercises performed during a session. 
It's plain to see that each day this client has less exercises per session than our newer client. With less time and equipment, this person counts on more bang for your buck exercises relying solely on a bench and pair of adjustable dumbbells. This programs exercise difficulty is higher for shorter bouts of training but the individual is able to make progressive gains this way even with limited time per session and equipment availability. |
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Programming Example 3
Here is s a piece of a program from
a naturally larger and stronger male. This person loves to workout. He has only been training for less than a year but has made strides. They are all in on training, lifting five days a week, more than an hour a day at a fully equipped public gym. 
All gym equipment should be seen as a tool to be used in context for training goals and for this reason I like to use any available equipment when it suits the need. This can help keep from boredom and in some cases help with recurring movement injuries and lets face it, it can be nice to hit the machines to get a break from the constant stress of free weights. As you can see, a gym stocked with equipment and a full training schedule will allow for more muscle groups to be hit or for the same muscle groups to be worked again closer to full recovery. |
Programming Example 4
For one last example let's look
at an elderly client who was originally dealing with both arthritis of the knee and a hiking mishap, leaving her with a knee surgery that went well. By following the concepts of progressive overload we have been able to get her from a 4 inch step-up and bodyweight bench squats, to this current program. 
This client lives further away, only allowing for one session a week. We make the most of it though and her knee is proof! One day a week is useful for very specific purposes. You should not expect to look like Arnold with this frequency of lifting. However, remember that any lifting is better than none at all! Conclusion
Hopefully these examples can give a clear
picture of what to expect when working with me, including how I think when programming and the reasons why progressive overload is the way to train! 
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