Programming seems to be one of the first things most lifters seem to worry about. This is similar to how most people always ask me how much I bench before asking other questions. I do not think programming is all that high on my list of priorities, but I agree it does play an important role in getting bigger, stronger, leaner, healthier, etc. Overall, programming is definitely something that should be given a lot of thought and something that will need to evolve through your lifetime.
Let's face the fact that there are many different programs to choose from, and each one has many ways to be modified. I fully admit it is a tricky and confusing process to navigate. Back in the day, picking the right program was tough enough without all this social media nonsense.
Social Media Influence
I am fortunate to have been to the top of the mountain and seen a very different view. I saw, or rather discovered, that every popular program works for someone. Think about that person on social media who is ripping on a program and is likely a very successful person using it. I mean, I never see anyone bagging on a program that has not had anyone successful doing it. If it did not work for someone, how did it become popular? The funny part is that I usually watch these videos with my jaw dropping a bit. I mean, here is a person telling me how wrong or bad a program is, but plain as day is someone who is really successful doing it.
The insanity happens when I look at how many followers this huckster has. How much logic does it take to see this? You are telling me this exercise and the guys that use it are stupid. Then, telling me his science proves it will not make big biceps while at the very same time, I see those guys with huge damn biceps. Umm, if it does not work, how did that guy get so damn big? If that program is so bad, how did the people using it get insanely strong? They are holding a potato in front of you while saying their science says it is a tomato.
My Experience With Different Programs
Here are my facts and my "science." I have been one of the best in the world. I have and do know many of the best in the world. So, I took the time to talk training with most of them. When I was in a room with 20 of the strongest SHW powerlifters in the world, they all trained differently. Yes, there was definitely some common ground, but overall, I have seen so many different training programs and variations that produced some of the best in the world. This goes for athletes and lifters I have known of all sizes and shapes. Throughout my life, I have used and made some gains from many different programs. During my powerlifting career, I have used various programs but used conjugate the most. Even though I used conjugate the most, it changed in variation over the years. Since my competitive days, I have purposely played around with so many ideas I learned about or came up with on my own. I have made progress with every single one of them. I am sure you are now wondering which one made the most progress. Well, I have come to the conclusion that it is more about the execution of the program than the program itself. So, this actually leads you down another path in terms of what you are doing outside the gym. Stimulation of growth in the gym is only as good as the recovery outside the gym.
The Do and Do Not List of Picking Programs
With so many programs out there and so many different athletes being successful with them, how do you choose? Let's start with the DO-NOTs and then move on to the TO-DOs.
DO NOTs
- Do not do a program just because you personally like the lifter doing the program or are impressed by his lifts. You are not them.
- Do not pick a program because it is the one you hear about the most. Just because a lot of people do, it does not make it right. In general, most people are stupid and follow blindly.
- Do not post names of programs on a wall and blindly throw darts until you hit one.
- Do not do a program just because it is a new thing and your friends are doing it. You remember that old bridge saying your parents told you.
TO-DOs
- Do research all the different programs, at least to the point where you have a basic overview of them.
- Do try to speak to some top athletes about their programs and possibly why they like them.
- Do some research on top lifters to see what programs they are using or which programs have been successful for them.
- Do try to see what top lifters did when they were at similar strength levels as you now.
- Do find top lifters who have similarities with you and see what programs they are doing.
RECENT: Mental Strength 101
Questions to Ask Yourself
Once you have some concept of the different programs and an idea of what each one details, it is time to use that gray matter in the old cranium. What programs make sense to you? Maybe you are new to lifting or do not have much experience, but you still have intelligence. You have had your own experiences in this world. Maybe you do not have a lot of expertise with lifting, but I think you must still have an opinion. If you have experience with lifting and have been doing it for a while, use that knowledge to think about what program you feel would work best.
- What program style feels like one you would enjoy?
- Do you think you are the kind of lifter who enjoys going heavy with high intensity?
- Do you think you are the kind of lifter who would enjoy training more days with a higher volume of work?
Next, consider your lifestyle and decide what you will dedicate to your training.
- Do you have six days a week to devote to training? Do you only have three days?
- How long or short can your training sessions be?
- Which program fits into your lifestyle with the time and effort you are willing to put in?
Dive Deep into Your Program
You know better where you are in your lifting journey, and your opinion matters because you have the knowledge to bring to the table; it is your program! You will be investing time and energy, so why not invest some intelligence as well?
Now that you have picked a program you want to try, it is time to delve deeper into it. The key factor is in the execution of the program. To do this, you need to fully understand your program and the principles it is based on. I highly recommend doing your own research but also, at some point, finding actual accomplished lifters to discuss this program with. Nothing can replace actually sitting down and talking with an expert. From my experience, you can get more in a 30-minute conversation than hour upon hour of reading. At this point, I believe attending a seminar, paying for a consultation, and even doing online training with a good coach is completely worth it. I do online coaching, but I totally understand lifters wanting to do their own programming. This is the reason I also offer consultations. In my journey with conjugate training, I know it was a great help to have top athletes I could call when I felt things were not going right. I could run an idea by them and get their ideas on resolving whatever issue I was having: two heads, more eyes, and all that.
Execute
If you approached finding a program in this manner, then you know it is a decent program. If you do not see the results, it is most likely an execution issue. In this case, you have been to seminars or talked with coaches and have a backup of knowledgeable people to help figure out where your execution fell. Too many lifters want to jump around from program to program, never taking the time to understand them and execute them correctly. What then happens is they end up executing all the programs they try incorrectly. Usually, it ends with some lame excuse, like they just do not have the genetics or some other lie to justify blaming the programs.
Ultimately, you can find successful lifters that use every single program out there. They all work, but the caveat is that you have to execute them correctly. If all programs work, find the one that works best for your lifestyle, the one that makes the most sense to you, and the one you will enjoy the most. Let's face it: the more you enjoy it, the more likely you will stick to it. Sticking to it is huge because it will take a lot of time, no matter the program. Put some effort into picking one program and then make it work for you.
Bio
Chad Aichs is a world-class and elite powerlifter in the SHW division. He began training seriously for powerlifting in 1999 in Sparks, Nevada, where he currently trains at American Iron Gym. In the ten years since he started, Chad has proven to be one of the strongest lifters in the world. His best lifts are an 1173 squat, 821 bench press, and a 755 pull. Aichs' best total is 2733, which makes him one of the top lifters of all time.
