Throwing 10 exercises onto a whiteboard is easy. Effective gym programmes exclude more than they include.
If Instabook is a social distraction and your colleague bothering you is a work distraction, then bicep curls and tricep kickbacks are the gym version of a complete waste of time. Don’t get me wrong, they have a place (if the uplighting is good and your beau is watching), but honestly, who has the time to waste 30 mins of their day on an exercise that garners 1% results?
Knowing what exercises to exclude from your strength training is the science. Afterall, no one has reinvented heavy things that I know of, and for the vast majority of us balancing a joyfully packed life requires effective use of our time and the biggest bang for buck exercises.
Of course some goals are highly bespoke, as are some athletes. If you are rehabbing or disabled then tailoring your prescription is important and this is where experts must guide you. And of course your intensity (loading) is dependent upon your expertise. For the most part however the human body is designed to move and load through three planes and full ranges of motion. So before you add in the isolated single joint fillers that are the gym version of celery, throw some better nutrients into your programme and make the most of the rare time you spend prioritising your own needs.
Squat: Utilise a Goblet hold to learn the pattern before progressing to Back Squats
Hinge: Your hips will thank you for RDL’s, Bridges, and Deadlifts
Lunge: Split Squats are a staple and challenge your stability with Forward Lunging
Pull: Work up to a Pull Up with assisted Lat Pull downs or a loaded Row
Push: Nothing beats a well executed push up. Brush your elbows past your rib cage
Rotate: Woodchop loading progresses effectively into landmine rotations
Walk: Engage your grip and shoulders with a heavy carry. Dumbbells work well.
None of the above is new and we will take no credit for any of their inventions. Rather, the skill of an effective programme is deciding what you leave at the door and how to best use your 18-25 sets of work today. Side note; if your programme is taking you longer than 45 minutes to complete and you are not a pro athlete, something is wrong. Set your alarm and get to work with effective loading not stocking fillers.
In the video below, Tom talks about the science behind our programming at Pinnacle. And why causing fatigue is easy, but creating adaptation on the least amount of work requires science.
What are your thoughts on programming? We’d love to hear from you. Comment on the section below!
