As we approach the end of the year, I remind myself that it's almost time to evaluate my program's progress and the people in it.

When implementing the program at the beginning of the year, I pay attention to the "TYPES" of people in it, and how each person is coached. What does that mean?

We have three types of learners,

  1. Auditory
  2. Visual
  3. Tactical

I won't go into the characteristics of the three, but they also can have combinations of the type of learner they are.

When I coach a person and they aren't getting "it", I first check to see if I have covered my bases with the type of learner they are.

If I've done my diligence and the person STILL doesn't get "it", then I check that person's "Gym IQ".

Ah-HA!

I write the daily objectives on the board every morning. These are specific exercises, sets x reps and I leave the weight to be a variable based on the individual's "Training Log".

When I witness someone doing more or the opposite, less (and in some cases picking and choosing or even a total replacement) of the exercises of the day, then I refer to my "Cheese Cake" example.

"If a cheesecake recipe calls for 1/2 Cup of sugar, and YOU choose to put in a full Cup, then you aren't following the recipe. You're making something other than what I can predict. Who the fuck knows what you have just made? Over 50 years of training people and coaching them, I have had ZERO incidents of a person getting hurt. Why? Because I can predict exactly where they are on the progress scale based on my recipe. The first time you alter that recipe creates an opportunity to alter it again, and again. NOW, we have no idea what we have. It certainly isn't fucking cheesecake anymore. If you then get hurt and you say you did it in my program, I will come back to tell you, 'the fuck you did'. You got hurt because you're doing your program and I have no idea where you are."

If you don't understand what I am telling you, showing you, or describing in any form, ASK! I will go over it time and time again, but don't (DON'T) under any circumstance start to ad-lib my program.

Today's Training:

Run: Fartlek 3 miles

Cycle: Commute

Hi-Lo Woodchops: 3x10

Oblique side flexion over a 45-degree back extension: 3x10x KB

DB Lateral Raise: 4x8

DB "6's": (Lateral/to front/straight arm overhead/back down to front/to the side/back to the hips)3x10

OHP: 8 RM

  1. Decrease the wt. 10% and do 10 reps
  2. Decrease the wt another 10% and do 15 reps

Shrugs: 4x8x A shit ton of weight

Band Pull-a-parts: 3x15

Cycle: Commute