You can find a free program online; you can find a sea of “follow along workouts.” It begs the question, “can a program really be one size fits all?”
The answer is a simple yes… but also, no.
Yes, one program can fit most people’s needs and goals.
But not everyone has the same movement ability, muscle-skeletal capacity to handle volume (sets x reps x weight), and load (weight). Some people’s bodies respond better to high reps, while some respond better to a heavier weight. One person needs constant variety to stay motivated and interested; another person doesn’t.
This is where the individualization in a program becomes important. It is like a good soup recipe – I will not try and make a brand new soup recipe every time I cook. Instead, I will add a little more spice for the person who likes spice or take away the meat and add veggies for the vegetarian.
Here is a real-world example. Let us use the squat as an example of how one exercise can meet multiple people’s needs and abilities.
For the person focused on strength: Front Squat 5×5
For the runner: Front Squat 3×8 with a 222 (2 seconds down, 2 seconds pause at the bottom, 2 seconds up) tempo
For the person with bad knees: Squat to High Box 3×12
For the person with a bad back: TRX Squat to Box 3×12-15
And the person who likes variety: Kettlebell Offset Front Squat to Overhead Press 3×6 on each side
As you can see, all five examples are using the squat and are able to achieve different goals and outcomes by making some small adjustments.
A movement will mostly stay the same for any person, but the magic sauce is in the tweaks to the individual for their abilities, goals, and where they are at that day. The individualization is seen in the weight, the sets and reps, and the slight changes to the range of motion or addition of stability to a movement.
Just like a one size fits all Halloween costume, it will fit most people ok. But to have a great fit, you will need to make a few modifications.
Your Fitness Sherpa,
Coach Josh
