There’s a lot of fancy programs out there these days, some good, most terrible. Some based on solid science and experience of those who know what they are talking about and have the creds to do so, some based on fantasy and “bro science.”
Nothing, regardless of the program, replaces hard work. A well thought out program will balance the variables of loading, volume, etc, etc. Some of my thoughts on that, as well as other authors thoughts on the topic, can be found here on the BrinkZone, so I will not rehash that here.
As a general rule, I think simple is best. Some times the most effective programs, are the simplest programs. People think complex = more effective. Most of the time, it just = more complex, while the guy who just plugs away on hard work doing squats, deads, etc, is making the real progress in strength, muscle mass, and so forth.
Of course, it depends on your goals. Different goals require different training methodology, and that’s a given. OK, back to why I’m posting this blog.
In my opinion, regardless of the program or the goals, one should also understand being strong/staying strong, is also important. Obviously, various factors like age, injuries, goals, experience levels, and so forth, all have to be taken into account, but bottom line is, within the context of those factors, it’s important to attempt to be strong. There’s no place in life where one can be too strong.
1) Even if your hotel gym sucks, get to it, and put in your sets and reps. A strong male client of mine commented while he was on travel: “I’m jet lagged, the hotel gym sucks, and the heaviest DBs I can find weigh only 60 lbs, but I’m making it work.” Moral: Even with the lousiest tools, you can still “make it work.” Be creative: superset, bump up your reps, keep your heart rate up and keep your rest periods short, do challenging body weight exercises when possible.
