Demystifying Program Design

Program design can be tricky but it doesn’t have to be.  To get a measurable amount of actual strength gain you need to hit between 10-30 sets a week.  Yes, 30 is a lot.  You likely won’t run into that range unless you’re in exceptionally good shape, have very specific workout goals, and have a lot of free time.  So lets assume 10 sets is the target for most people.  Three sets of an exercise that hits a muscle group 3 days a week gives you 9 total sets…so one of those days toss in an extra set and you’re good to go.  Example, if you want to target your quads you can try to isolate them with a split squat movement or a leg extension.  Even if you set it up to be 3 sets of 10 (which is a traditional beginner series) you’d see notable strength gains if you would not have been able to complete an 11th or 12th rep during each of those sets. 

One thing you have to take into account is that number 10 comes from a high RPE (rating of perceived exertion) challenge.  You won’t get the strength effect if you’re leaving a lot of reps in the tank each set.  If you complete a set of 10 but you could have done 15, your quad isn’t going to get stronger.  You have to be stressing your system for all 10 sets.  Otherwise you’ll need to add more sets or change your set structure to more reps or pick a different exercise where you can exert yourself more forcefully.  Given the high strain of these required 10 sets make sure you’re warmed up property before you start counting towards the 10.   

The huge number of variables to consider when making a fully program can be intimidating but keep this one at the top of your list and you’ll start to see clear progress in 4-6 weeks.   So, give it a shot!  Shoot me a message if you get stuck along the way.