Importance of Programming
At The Project PT, we believe that effective programming is the backbone of any successful fitness journey. But why is programming so important?
Programming in fitness refers to the structured, goal-driven planning of workouts over time.
It's essential for several key reasons:
Consistent Progress: A well-designed program ensures you're consistently challenging your body, leading to steady improvements in strength, endurance, or whatever your specific goals may be.
Injury Mitigation: Good programming helps prevent overtraining and reduces the risk of injury by carefully balancing workload and recovery.
Efficiency: A thoughtful program makes the most of your gym time, ensuring every workout contributes meaningfully to your goals.
Motivation: Having a clear plan helps maintain motivation by providing a sense of direction and measurable progress.
Before we go deeper, it is essential to clarify the distinction between programming and periodisation:
Programming vs. Periodization:
Programming generally refers to the design of individual training sessions within a week or a short-term cycle. It involves selecting exercises, determining sets and reps, and organising the structure of each workout.
Periodisation, on the other hand, is the long-term planning of training. It involves organising different training phases over weeks, months, or even years to optimise performance and achieve specific goals.
At The Project PT, we recognise the importance of both. Effective programming ensures that each session is purposeful and aligned with your goals, while proper periodisation guarantees that your training evolves to support continuous progress and prevent plateaus.
We adhere to two non-negotiable elements and four fundamental principles to create effective programs. Understanding these will explain why programming is vital for your fitness success.
Non-negotiable Elements of Effective Programming:
Following a Plan: A structured plan is always better than random workouts. A consistent plan, even if repeating one workout for a year with variations, is more effective than constantly changing your routine without purpose. This consistency is important for tracking progress and ensuring you're moving towards your goals.
Consistency: The best program in the world only counts for a little if you follow it. Consistency in executing your plan is key to seeing results. This is why programming is so important - it provides a roadmap you can consistently follow, making your fitness journey more manageable and effective.
Principles of Program Design
Progressive Overload
This principle is at the heart of why programming matters. It means your workouts must become progressively more challenging to continue seeing results. With a program, it’s easier to implement progressive overload systematically.
For example, let's consider a year-long program with three exercises: Barbell back squat, DB Row, and Floor press. Here's how we might structure it to ensure progressive overload:
Block 1 Hypertrophy
Week 1-2: 3 x 12
Week 3-4: 3 x 10
Week 5-6: 3 x 8
Block 2 Hypertrophy/Strength
Week 7-8: 4 sets x 8 reps
Week 9-10: 4 sets x 6 reps
Week 11-12: 4 sets x 5 reps
Block 3 Strength
Week 13-14: 5 sets x 5 reps
Week 15-16: 5 sets x 4 reps
Week 17-18: 5 sets x 3 reps
Block 4 Strength/Power
Week 19-20: 6 sets x 4 reps
Week 21-22: 6 sets x 3 reps
Week 23-24: 6 sets x 2 reps
Block 5 Power
Week 25-26: 6 sets x 3 reps
Week 27-28: 6 sets x 2 reps
Week 29-30: 6 sets x 1 rep
Block 6 Hypertrophy/Recovery
Week 31-32: 3 sets x 12 reps
Week 33-34: 3 sets x 10 reps
Week 35-36: 3 sets x 8 reps
Block 7 Strength
Week 37-38: 5 sets x 5 reps
Week 39-40: 5 sets x 4 reps
Week 41-42: 5 sets x 3 reps
Block 8 Power
Week 43-44: 6 sets x 3 reps
Week 45-46: 6 sets x 2 reps
Week 47-48: 6 sets x 1 rep
Block 9 Deload/Recovery
Week 49-50: 3 sets x 10 reps
Week 51-52: 3 sets x 8 reps
This example demonstrates programming (the specific set and rep schemes for each block) and periodisation (the overall structure and progression over the year). This combination of short-term detail and long-term planning makes a training regimen effective.
The Law of Diminishing Returns
This law and progressive overload go hand in hand. Let's consider your favourite workout with a preferred set and rep range, say 3 x 10. Initially, you'll see plenty of progress just doing 3 x 10. As you might have guessed, intensity is one of the main variables left to change. However, you'll eventually hit a plateau related to your potential, reaching a weight for three sets of 10 that will be the upper limit you'll ever be able to lift. If you keep lifting at this weight, your progress will decline.
SAID Principle
The SAID principle is essential for ensuring your programming matches your specific goal. SAID stands for Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands. This means you'll adapt to the activities you do at the gym. You’ll get more vital if you lift heavy weights (strength training). If you lift moderately heavy loads to failure, you'll grow muscle. If you jump, you'll get better at jumping. The specific thing you train for shows specific adaptations.
Variability
Variety is the spice of life, as the saying goes. Fortunately, you don't have to stick to three exercises for the rest of the year. It's always good to program with progressive movements in mind, or at least movements that will complement the ones you want to improve. For example, you might run back squats for a six-week block and then change to front squats. While different, front squats share many attributes with back squats, meaning they should complement each other. Variability also plays into the law of diminishing returns; eventually, you'll hit a ceiling in your specific activity.
At The Project PT, we use these principles to create our programs. We understand that programming workouts is both an art and a science. Adhering to the non-negotiables and implementing these fundamental principles, we help our clients achieve their goals and see consistent growth.
The importance of programming cannot be overstated. It provides structure, ensures progress, prevents plateaus, reduces injury risk, and keeps you motivated. A well-designed program is one that you can stick to and that challenges you appropriately over time.
We're committed to using these proven principles to help you reach your fitness goals. Let us design a program that works for you, incorporating these elements to ensure your success. Together, we'll transform your fitness journey and help you achieve results you never thought possible.
