Just Stick to the Plan!

I'm sure we've all heard the old saying; "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail". One could argue this is the single biggest culprit for people's lack of progress.

Regardless of one's goals, I'm a firm believer in planning. Whether it has to go with work, personal finances, or fitness you really should have some sort of plan in place to get from point A to point B. It doesn't have to be exceedingly complex or expensive either.

Any plan is better than no plan at all. Don't overthink it. Just find something that seems to line up with your goals and follow it to the letter.

I've written before that I have a tendency to overthink things. When I began my fitness career I made this mistake when writing programs. I would spend hours crafting the most elaborate programs that would seemingly shape the next Channing Tatum, but they didn't always work. Why? It wasn't a program the individual would follow diligently. At the end of the day. the best program is one the person will actually follow.

I recently read THIS post by Bryan Krahn about a similar topic. You just need something that you will stick with from inception to completion.

I think this is one reason why Crossfit is so popular. Sure much of the programming is myopic, but that's what the general fitness crowd wants. Most people have training ADD. They want "entertrainment". Constantly varied workouts keep these people engaged and coming back for more. Its not necessarily the method that produces results, just that these individuals keep showing up.

So where to begin? Below I'll list a few programs I would recommend by fitness level. You can find all of these online for free or relatively cheap.

There are no "foo foo" programs listed below. You have to be willing to put in hard work to get results after all. I haven't provided links to any of them either. The information is out there. Go get it and learn something!

Beginner Programs

The thing you need to remember about a beginners is they have a HUGE window of adaptation. Basically everything works. Honestly as a beginner, you can pick from any number of free programs found online and see progress. The mistake most make is having ADD and jumping ship before completion. Pick something and see it through. Below are some programs I would recommend to get the most out of this very important beginner stage.

1. Starting Strength - Mark Rippetoe
Rippetoe's Starting Strength is probably the best beginner program there is. Using this program, a solid foundation of strength can be built to accomplish nearly any goal. One caveat is this is not the best program for older individuals with a history of injury or poor movement foundation.

2. Bulletproof Athlete - Mike Robertson
Robertson's bulletproof athlete program isn't just for beginners. Lifters of all skill levels can benefit from taking a step back to re-build a solid foundation. I would recommend this for just about anyone.

3. T-nation
T-nation is one of the best free resources for strength training on the web. Over the years they have published hundreds of programs you have access to for free. Whatever your goal, you can probably find a program to follow and make progress with.

Intermediate Programs

After one has a year or more of training under the belt, intermediate level programming is necessary to keep making progress. Most dedicated fitness enthusiasts are intermediates and will spend most of their training "careers" in this stage. As such, there are a TON of these out there. My favorites are below.

1. 5/3/1 - Jim Wendler
Excellent program to improve strength and build your training around for years to come. Easy to follow and modify to fit your lifestyle.

2. The Texas Method - Mark Rippetoe
The next logical step to Starting Strength when progress begins to stall. Slightly more complex than 5/3/1, but just as effective.

3. The Cube Method - Brandon Lilly
Very similar to the Texas Method listed above. My biggest reservation about this one is the lack of "autoregulation" present. Still a solid program overall.

4. Show and Go - Eric Cressey
Very effective program that is completely done for you. Includes variations you can choose based on your lifestyle. Although I haven't tried it yet, I'm sure his newest program The High Performance Handbook is excellent as well.

5. Lift Weights Faster - Jen Sinkler
Not a ton of structure here, but an excellent resource with a ton of variety. Literally hundreds of workouts organized by length (ranging from 10-30 minute workouts) and equipment available.

Advanced Programs

Advanced programming is reserved for those who have chosen to specialize in a particular sport. Programming is highly specific and less of a variety of exercises are used. Volume is generally very high as well. As it pertains to strength training, most advanced programs are used by strength athletes (powerlifters, olympic lifters, strongman etc.). Other athletes spend time actually playing their sport to get better and follow intermediate strength programming. I'm going to take a wild guess and say most of you reading this aren't at this stage, so I won't spend much time elaborating on these.

1. Smolov

2. Smolov Jr.

3. Sheiko

4. Bulgarian Method

Closing Thoughts

If you are unfamiliar, do a quick search on the above programs and decide which is the best for you. Be honest with yourself and where you are with your training! If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment below.

Random Meathead Thoughts and Stuff You Should Read - 2/22/15

Its funny how life changes can alter ones perspective. Since making a career change I haven't had much time or mental energy for writing. I think its been about 6 months since my last post (eek!). This move has definitely been one of the more challenging and humbling things I have endured in my life. 

On top of the obvious physical transition of working in an office, I've gone from the "expert" to the complete novice. People used to come to me for all the answers, now the tables have turned. There have been several times where I've thought "I suck at this" or "What the hell am I doing?". I'm sure many of my personal training clients have had these thoughts while going through their own changes. Regardless of the task, we can't continue to grow as individuals unless we step outside our comfort zone. 

There are many things about training full time that I miss, but others I don't. Currently, I train about 3-4 hours/week in person and work with a handful of clients online. Not surprisingly, I enjoy these few hours I spend each week more than I did the 45-50 hours/week I used to spend working in the fitness biz full time. My mind is fresh and I stress about it much less because its not my main source of income. 

The fitness business is very volatile. Your livelihood largely depends on the schedule, physical state and emotional state of others.  It is much more stressful when a client gets sick, travels, or flakes out when your livelihood depends on their attendance. The rewards of coaching others to be better versions of themselves are great, but it comes at a cost. 

All this said, one thing hasn't changed. I'm still a meathead.

I still think about training all the time and am trying to learn more. Using this knowledge to improve my own training keeps me grounded. I feel it is my duty to share this knowledge. "Pay it forward" if you will. Learning and teaching are a big part of who I am. 

There's an overwhelming amount of information out there. It's very easy for the average gym-goer to get confused and overwhelmed. This is where a good fitness professional has value. Obtaining the information is no longer an issue, finding the right information is. The days of the rep-counting trainer are long gone. The ability to serve as a coach and mentor are paramount. I recently read something by Jon Goodman, a well respected pro in the industry, stating a trainer’s role has changed from information provider to information make-senser. I couldn't agree more.

So that's my mission. I'll be keeping it very simple from here on out. If you're looking for someone to cut through a the bullshit and point you in the right direction in a practical way, look no further. Check out some of my favorite articles from the past week or so below. 

10 Most Annoying People in the Gym - Chris Shugart

Throw Out Your Expectations - Sheena Leedham

Powerlifters Should Train More Like Bodybuilders - Greg Nuckols

Training is for Building. Not Testing - Chad Smith

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Deadlifters – Part 1

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Deadlifters – Part 2