Exercise Technique and Program Design
The design framework
Programs are built from FITT-VP - frequency, intensity, time, type, volume, progression - applied through the SAID principle (specific adaptations to imposed demands) and progressive overload. Acute variables are sets, reps, load, rest interval, tempo, and exercise order.
Loading guidelines
Strength: ≤6 reps at roughly 85% 1RM with 2–5 minutes rest. Hypertrophy: 6–12 reps at 67–85% with 30–90 seconds rest. Muscular endurance: ≥12 reps at ≤67% with ≤30 seconds rest. Power: 1–5 reps, light-to-moderate loads moved explosively, with full recovery. Order exercises large muscle groups before small, multi-joint before single-joint, and explosive work before heavy strength work when both appear in one session.
Technique and progression
Each session opens with a general and specific warm-up and closes with a cool-down. Coach breathing - exhale during the concentric phase, inhale on the eccentric - and avoid breath-holding (Valsalva) with hypertensive or cardiac clients. Progress load before volume for beginners, roughly 2–10% when the top of the rep range is achieved with clean technique. Periodization can be linear (volume down, intensity up over time) or undulating (frequent shifts).
Trap: rep ranges are chained to load and rest interval, and questions deliberately swap them. Another favorite is placing a single-joint isolation movement ahead of a multi-joint lift.
Rule of thumb: if the client completes the top of the prescribed rep range with clean form on the final set, add 2–5% next session; if technique breaks before the bottom of the range, reduce the load.