How will we tailor a training program?

We start with clear goals. From there, we choose the total number of sets and one of many possible splits—upper/lower, push–pull–legs, or any other structure. Alongside the trainee’s goal, training volume should be determined by their recovery capacity, available resources, and individual efficiency. This is how you build a program that truly supports long-term progress.

Avoid creating a “grocery list” of exercises with fixed rep ranges. There are well-known mechanisms for muscle development, and from these come various tools that can enrich the program or adapt it so that volume doesn’t just exist—but is effective.

It’s essential to assess the starting point, including environmental factors: the trainee’s previous exposure to training environments and the level of support in their surroundings. This helps determine the appropriate training dosage.

Training blocks

Create training blocks composed of several weeks, allowing you to observe progress or challenges and adjust the program dynamically.

How long should a block be? In my view, 4–8 weeks, including a deload phase—depending on the goal, training age, capacity, and, of course, the person’s life circumstances.

Convenience and personal schedule

For training to be effective and consistent, it’s crucial to understand the time frame available to the trainee—from training frequency to session duration and timing. For example, evening-only training often means a crowded gym, which can disrupt flow. It’s important to offer exercise alternatives so the trainee isn’t forced to wait between movements.

Volume

We want to ensure balanced volume across the entire body, but it’s also valid to dedicate a training block to a specific goal or body part that needs improvement. Focus—like in many areas of life—often opens the door to progress.

Remember that volume isn’t measured only by direct muscle work. Many exercises involve secondary muscles. Even if the work is indirect, it still contributes to weekly volume and should be prioritized accordingly.

Exercise order and selection

The common cliché that large muscle groups must always come before small ones is unnecessary. Of course, if a trainee is performing a free squat, I wouldn’t place such a demanding compound movement—requiring strength, stability, focus, and high energy—at the end of the session. However, exercise order can absolutely be used to emphasize a muscle, even if it’s considered “small.”

For example, if arm development is lagging behind the upper body, it’s worth testing—at least in one session—how the muscle responds when starting with an isolation exercise, before it’s fatigued by presses and pulls, or even training it separately altogether.

Weekly exercise placement also matters. Scheduling a heavy deadlift session the day before a back workout will likely affect back training performance.

Adjusting the program or volume/protocol

Within the program, make sure there’s space for notes. Technical notes, such as training volume or proximity to failure, are important—but non-technical notes matter just as much.

For example: life stress, how a specific exercise felt, or how recovery was. This helps you better understand the trainee’s overall state. It can also be useful to quantify this—for instance, rating perceived effort from 1–10, or, in cases of recurring injury, rating pain or recovery levels.

Once per block, sit down with yourself or with the trainee and reassess, alongside markers such as photos and subjective feelings.

I generally don’t rush to change a program. In my view, progress becomes clearer with consistency and a deepening training “language.” Still, this is the right moment to make adjustments based on the factors above.

Enjoy the training!