2026 Programming Bits: Strength

I try to keep scholastic units in mind when going through some progressions: there may be a 12-week emphasis on back squatting regularly. It could also be bench pressing, or deadlifting, etc. Many of you have gone through this already.

The challenge for someone like me who has to program for a number of different people with different goals is making sure we’re not just affecting the individual needs, but still providing enough variety- for fun and for good (and surprising) stimuli.

To that particular end I’m going to give you some repeats. For those who have been here on last Thursday that was Week 1 of 3 of a “Max Effort Lower” workout involving back and front squats, Bulgarian split squats, RDLs, Cossack squats, planks, and BW reverse hypers.

Your primary goal if you can be here for more than one of those weeks is to see if you can fit the entire volume of the workout in in that hour, meaning you’re finding challenging but doable weights. NOT maxing out every set, which is what is seems is happening recently. I found it difficult to write linear percentage-based program because consistency is required for that to work well. What happens if you show up on Week 5 of an 8-week progression?

If you can be here for more than one of those three weeks then you get to repeat, changing the loading and rest times between sets. Something else not written up, but always suggested, is increasing the difficulty of the skill. You can do front squats no problem? Try zombie squats! Bulgarians no longer challenging (or rather you’re sick of them from our previous progressions)? Do some barbell step-ups to a 16” box. All the different challenges inside of each exercise can be brought up and practiced.