What Does It Take To Create A Training Program, Pt. 2 

Step 4: Select exercises and specific progressions

The next step after selecting the combination of weeks is to select the best possible exercises for you.

When I choose exercises for you I have my own exercise library of about 700 different exercises to choose from. This is a library I have built upon since 1997. To give an example, in the chart below you can see the Front Squat and Zercher Squat Variations I choose between when creating a program. The second column shows the secondary benefits of that exercise.

I don’t just randomly pull any of these variations into your program because I just learned that particularly variation or because it is my personal favourite.

All the exercises you see in the chart above have primary and secondary benefits. Particularly, the “big” exercises, like squats can be modified so various parts of the body receive special stimulation.

Here's how it works:

Part of your goal might be to increase your leg strength. Thus, squats would be a good choice. But should you do front squats or back squats?

If you, along with increasing your leg strength, also would benefit from improving your posture – for example, to be able to better extend your spine – then I probably would have you do front squats because, as you see in variation 2 of the front squats, a secondary benefit of the front squat is extension of the thoracic spine.

I may even have you do front squats/calf raise. That would give you an even more powerful stimulation of correct posture.

The essence of this system is that with each exercise, I pick a variation that has secondary benefits that matches another goal in your training program. This strategy creates a great synergy between your exercises.

Now, your goal could be explosive leg strength (for the purpose of sprinting or jumping). This gets tricky because front squats are not ideal for the development of explosive leg strength.

Why?

To improve explosive leg strength you have to execute the concentric phase of the lift as fast as possible. If you do this in a front squat with the bar resting on your collar bones, the bar is going to fly upwards as you complete the rep and may even hit your chin. (Only your dentist would want you to do an exercise like that.)

This could lead me to suggest back squats for you instead. Or possibly, back squats on day one and front squats on day two.

Most likely, I would have you do front squats against band resistance. These would work great because the bands hold the weight down to your collar bones and you can accelerate all you want without the bar flying off.

Or, I would have you do front squat/push presses, where, as you complete the concentric portion of the lift, the bar is supposed to continue in a vertical path.

I hope you can see that in a good training program exercises are not just pulled out of thin air, but are carefully selected to match each other.

As I select the exercises I structure them into the appropriate number of training days, depending on our agreement.

In the example below the exercises are structured in two training days. On the first day the theme is deadlifts and presses. On the second day the theme is presses and rows.
As you see, this information is written on the same sheet as the periodization schedule and the training goals. This makes it very easy to see to which training period a particular program belongs.

The next step is to select the specific methods and progressions, including number of sets, number of reps, intensity, speed of contraction and rest periods. This information is written in comment boxes in the same cell as the exercise name. These factors are determined from the goal of your training program.

Remember the previous information about Type 2 goals?
Your specific Type 2 goals are specified just below the sequence of training weeks. For example: Pres (hor)/bottom pos, HT means that the goal is to develop hypertrophy (HT) or muscle mass in a horizontal press pattern with an emphasis on working the bottom position.

Generally speaking, the Type 2 goal is a combination of any kind of movement pattern with any of the bio-motor abilities (balance, flexibility, coordination, strength, power, speed, agility and endurance).

There are three overall specific methods that can be used.

• The maximal effort method (strength, power)
• The dynamic effort method (power, speed, agility)
• The repeated effort method (endurance, balance, muscle mass)

Each of the blocks previously mentioned has a specific combination of the overall methods. For example, in the ISS block the repeated effort method is used while in the SSP block the maximal effort method is used.

So, for a program in an ISS block I am picking a specific progression (combination of sets, reps and intensity) of the repeated effort method to go with each exercise. Right now there are 10 different progressions for developing muscular endurance in my tool box.

For each exercise I choose the specific progression that will be the optimal choice for you at this particular point in time. The optimal progression for you depends on:

• Your training status/fitness level.
• The equipment used (options for adjusting the load).
• The specifics of your goal (for example isometric or dynamic strength)
• The structure of this program (is the exercise trained alone or is it part of a superset.
• Your available time and energy for training.

Lastly, the volume, intensity and execution tempos are selected. For example, the training of Front Squat in an ISS block might look like this:

Day 1

Note: Increase the load by 2.5 kilos when you can perform 12 reps in 2 sets.

Day 2

Note 1: Each set = 8-10 reps with a narrow stance - 15 seconds rest - 8-10 reps with a medium stance.

Note 2: Increase the load by 2.5 kilos when you can perform 20 reps in 3 sets.

I am sure you see the small but significant changes in the training program from day to day. This is an example of “the same, but different concept”, one of the most important concepts in training.

Exercise variation: On day 2 two different stances are used. This loads the leg muscles differently, thus preventing overtraining and promoting strength gains.

Set variation: The number of sets performed increase gradually in a wave-fashion. The primary progression in an ISS block is on volume, because this is the key parameter to stimulate the desired adaptations for this training period.

Reps: Lower reps on day 1, because on this day you are using a 2 second pause in the bottom position of each rep (this is indicated by the letter code in the “tempo” column). Thus the time to complete each rep becomes longer.

Step 5: Write the training program

After selecting exercises and specific progressions (volume, intensity, tempo, rest period and method of progression) it is time to write the training program.

Essentially this step involves transferring the information from the planning sheet to an actual program template.

Below is shown an example of a program template:

The “notes” column to the right outlines the exact method of progression for each exercise. This column tells you exactly when to add sets and reps for each exercise. Having the method of progression specified like that enables me to use different methods of progression for different exercises – which again, translates into the most specific tailored program for you.

By just looking at the program you probably have many questions. What is behind the name of the exercises? What does the tempo code mean? To convey the entire program in writing would result in too much written material and I find it more efficient to use a template, like the one shown above, supplemented with thorough verbal instructions.

Along with this program you also get:

• An individualized warm up program, matching your goals – not just 6 minutes on the treadmill!
• An individualized cool down stretching program matching your goals.
• A training plan so you know exactly what to do each day.
• A special training diary that helps you monitor your focus and to create short term goals.

Steps 3-5 are a 1-3 hour process depending on the specifics of the situation.

The typical length of a program I make is 3-5 weeks, after which I collect the training diary from you, record your progress and create your next program.

Now you know the steps involved when I create a training program. I hope you can see, that this method allows me to make programs that totally match your special goals.

Click here for more information about how I can help you with your training program.

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