The Perfect Program

Will Heffernan wrote: »

For me personally...the programs I do myself are closer to 1:2 pushing to pulling.

Out of interest (and in general) do you think that sort of protocol negates the need for specific external rotation work.

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Agreed. I've had an online client who have paid me for consultations and advice over a 4 month period who actually did nothing...I am giving you the short version of the story but what essentially happen is that he got his program, sent me questions, I sent him answers and that continued for 4 months....he wanted to make sure his program was PERFECT before he did anything....so while he was awaiting perfection he did absolutely no training.

Makes me wonder if it would have been done, even if it was 'perfect'

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Even more reason why good trainers need to do good marketing and sales work. Even if it makes you feel dirty and unwholesome

I'm working on that.

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Someone should do that and then I will gather them all up and stick them in the first post as you suggested.

I'll give it a go when I've time to go through it.

Out of curiosity (and probably stupidity), I'm just wondering are these programs suitable for women too?

Ok, I've given this a go from the view of generally setting up a program despite the goal, feel free to add or take away some of these, they are only my simplification of what's gone before...some of them are probably very obvious to some, less so to others.

Will Heffernan wrote: »

What do we need to do to warm up?
What exercises?
Set and rep schemes?
Training frequency?
Do we need Oly lifting?

All variables, and have been discussed throughout.

Will Heffernan wrote: »

What does it take to build the perfect program?

• Work backwards from the goal/result
• Technique - get some and make sure it's right from the start
• Compound movements fundamental
• Consideration for total volume
• Consideration for exercise order
• Consideration for hip/quad ratio and push/pull in different plane ratio
• Consideration of periodization or variation
• Consideration of time available for training
• Consideration of motivation/enjoyability for adherence
• Dietary/Recovery influence (not yet discussed but an area that might be of interest, especially as those threads of people that drill themselves into the ground training surviving on a daily protein shake, chicken breast, an apple, 4 almonds and the necessary 3 cans of monster to get them through the workout pop up a bit.)

Will Heffernan wrote: »

I am going to come back and edit this...as it develops.

Firstly, what are the majority of people looking for?

You have fatties looking to get stronger and or bigger.
You have fatties looking to get fit.
You have fatties looking to just look good nekid.
You have twigs looking to get stronger and or bigger.
You have twigs looking to get fit.
You have twigs looking to just look good nekid.

Does that cover it?

Lets build some training templates and rules for all of these? If nothing else it will give us something cool to argue about for hours on end.

What do we need to do to warm up?
What exercises?
Set and rep schemes?
Training frequency?
Do we need Oly lifting?
What does it take to build the perfect program?

Pick a program and lay it out...then the spoilers can start picking holes in it, the navel gazers can make sure we are using the right terminology, the google warriors can do their searches and see if anyone is ripping anyone else off...I like to be a builder rather than a destroyer so I will start laying stuff out and people can question it all they like...same for all...be prepared to defend anything you put down or throw out here...we can even hold little mini votes to decide what path the perfect program is going down.

So give us what you got!

Ok, been reading the threads, some good stuff, so maybe some more specifics. I like the looking at the goal and working backwards point.

So... imagine someone doing Starting Strength with some CF metcon style stuff and or cycling/running etc.. No milk, and no getting massive.

The clear goal of starting strength is getting strong, but the main goal of 90%+ is probably the look good neked so does this make SS less appropriate if strength numbers are irrelevant?

Stats (of me and similar for friends and i'd say many that have gone down the SS route while ignoring the original look good neked plan? guessing):

DL 190kg, BS 135kg, Bench 100kg, Press 65kg, chins 11, Bw: 96KG bf: 13%

Agree on foam rolling, warm up, mobility work and emphasis on technique.

3 days a week weights seems like a regular occurrence for the 90%+ training, with some conditioning/running/football or whatever people do on other days. Again, not the top level competitive people, the general.

So a 3/5 x 5 routine (after warm up and warm up sets), 3 days a week like:

Monday: Squat, Press, Chins
Wednesday: Deadlift (1 x 5), Bench, Ring Rows
Friday: F Squat, B/O row, Ring Dips

So:
- Person used SS to get 'stronger' and as it comes recommended by many and was motivated enough but didn't bother with the milk/bulking
- Person has plateaued/gotten bored/realised they're stronger but not ready for a bodybuilding stage just yet
- Person has realised they don't really care about training for weeks to add 2.5kg to their strict press and max strength wasn't really the goal

So:
What do we need to do to warm up?
Foam roll, mobility work

What exercises?
Similar as above?

Set and rep schemes?
So what is aim for reps/sets and recovery time between them?

Training frequency?
3 times a week weights with conditioning and some rest days

Do we need Oly lifting?
Can be added, but not necessary?

What does it take to build the perfect program?
It doesn't have to be perfect, but more appropriate for the user. The focus on the goal rather than the program is a good thing i've taken out of the thread so far definitely.

Double decker wrote: »

hey i don't have time to read the entire thread can someone just repost the best program please

Seven hundred thousand bird-dogs and an air squat