Raboi

Aaron Raboi
Professor Thames
ENC1102
22, November 2020
The Sweet Spot Between Experience and Science When Writing Workout Programs

Introduction-

Over the past few decades, people’s interest in becoming bigger, stronger, leaner, and

overall, more athletic has increased. Along with this increase in interest there have been different

communities that hold unique views on different topics. One of these communities is the science

based community. This community put a lot of emphasis and reliance on different scientific

studies when they write programs on how to train. This runs contrary to the way many of the

successful coaches from the eighties and nineties write their programs. In their situation they go

based off their experience and previous experiments with trial and error. Both of these

communities have coaches who have had great success and athletes who have broken records

and won competitions.

Along with the growth of the science based community there has been an increase in

experiments focused on muscle size gain and strength gain. Some of these studies compare

different types of training styles to judge which has the best results when it comes to strength

gains, weight loss, of muscle mass gained. One example is a study which compared the effects of

CrossFit and a more generic style of resistance training in terms of body composition and

strength gains. According to the data collected there were benefits to CrossFit shown such as

greater amounts of weight loss with similar strength gains (Özbay). There are also studies that

test what types of exercises will be most effective for certain goals. In 2018 a study was done to

compare free weights and FreeMotion machine in terms of strength gains (Milton). These are the
 Raboi

type of studies that are used by the science based community. When you look at those outside of

this community the reliance on these studies is more minimal. These individuals rely more on

their experience in writing programs and coaching individuals.

According to one paper that investigated what make a coach an effective coach,

experience was one of the barriers to becoming an effective coach (Carter 85). Even though

experience was one of the barriers “coaching experience did not have a significant impact on

coaching outcomes on its own” (Carter 83) this then brings up the question of what the right ratio

between scientific studies and experience is when it comes to coaching and writing programs. If

you look at which community has had more success you end up being mixed. Both the science

based community and those outside of the community had had success in breaking records and

making huge gains. For someone who is trying to enter the scene and learn how to write

programs figuring out the write balance can be hard. This is because the sweet spot between

scientific studies and experience is not yet known as everyone uses a different ratio.

When looking directly at how coaches write programs and balance experience with

scientific studies the sweet spot is hard to figure out. It is known that experience can be linked

with developing skills that lead to success. One study states that "key graduate attributes of

communication, discipline specific knowledge and skills, and to some extent, global citizenship,

were attained throughout WIL experiences, regardless of an experience being considered positive

or negative” (Hall 110). When combined with another study that shows “internships that

simulated the strength and conditioning industry better prepared those interns for the strength

and conditioning profession” (Desai 89). We can claim that experience is needed to succeed in

the industry, but the question is how does experience, along with science, play a role in writing

programs for athletes. Both scientific studies and experience will be valuable in writing workout

programs, but does the sweet spot between the two lean towards one or the other?
 Raboi

Methods-

My main methodology I plan on using is analysis of interviews with different strength

coaches and personal trainers. For each of these coaches or personal trainer I will analyze written

interviews and video interviews on how they write their programs to gain a larger picture of how

different coaches' program and train their athletes. I will try to analyze one written and one video

interview for each of the coaches. In addition, each of these four coaches add a slightly different

point of view as they come from different sports which all have different amounts of impact from

the science-based community. I will focus on understanding how they either wrote their different

programming methodologies or what they consistently program to achieve the coaching success

they have all achieved within their respective sports.

The four coaches I plan on analyzing all have their own unique styles and coach in

slightly different strength areas. The coaches I plan on analyzing are Louie Simmons, Jim

Wendler, Dave Tate, and John Meadows. Louie Simmons is the owner of Westside Barbell and

creator of the conjugate method. Westside Barbell is one of the most accomplished powerlifting

gyms ever due to the amount of records the athletes from that gym have broken, while the

conjugate method has become one of the most popular powerlifting programming styles in recent

years. Jim Wendler used to be a powerlifter at Westside Barbell, but in recent years has become

a successful high school strength training and football coach and created the workout program

5/3/1. While he did not manage to break a ton of records while he was a powerlifter, when he

switched to being a high school strength training and football coach, he saw a ton of success. At

his high school he managed to transform not only the football team, but all their athletic teams to

being highly competitive within their division. In addition, his program 5/3/1 has become one of
 Raboi

the top beginner programs due to its simplicity and consistency when it comes to producing

results. Dave Tate was also an athlete at Westside barbell when he was younger and managed to

become Louie Simmons right hand man for part of it, but recently has become the owner of Elite

FTS. Elite FTS is a gym, fitness equipment marketplace, and one of the largest powerlifting

blogs and forums. His company has become a staple within the powerlifting and bodybuilding

community to the point that gaining recognition from the company is a huge achievement for

many coaches and athletes. Finally, John Meadows became an IFBB (International Federation of

Bodybuilding and Fitness) pro athlete which is one of the most prestigious things a bodybuilder

can do outside of winning the top competitions. Since his bodybuilding program ended, he has

become one of the top bodybuilding coaches and has coached many different athletes who have

gained their IFBB pro card under his coaching.

The main limiting factor I had to work around when doing my research was what

information I could get my hands on. In an ideal world I would have done interviews with

different coaches and been able to dive deeper into how they use scientific studies. Without this

ability I had to search the internet for interviews they have done and tried to find where they

talked about science within writing programs. Many people do not focus on this information

when doing interviews so finding the proper information is not that easy.

Results-

Across the eight different written and verbal interviews there were many similarities

among the different coaches and personal trainers. These individuals were able to give insight

into how they write programs and what information they use within the programs. All four of the
 Raboi

coaches have trained to differing degrees with each other so some of their views on writing

programs overlaps due to their interactions. The one thing that was common across the four

coaches is that they all use a combination of scientific studies, trial and error in their training and

their clients training, and information learned by those with more experience. Another thing all

the coaches and trainers did was surround themselves with either other coaches that they give

respect to or train only certain athletes who are willing to learn and better everyone around them.

In both of these situations the coaches remain in places where not only can they teach others but

can learn from those around you. In terms of their use of scientific studies it was rather minimal.

The main way these coaches used scientific studies was with hesitation. They would not take any

study they saw and believe it at face value. Instead, they would see information and statistics put

out by these studies and if the information was important to them or seemed accurate, they would

test out the claims in their own programs to see whether the study carries any weight. This was

different when the coaches talked about dieting and how science and studies are a lot more

important in dieting than workout plans.

Discussion-

The sweet spot between experience and scientific studies when writing programs is not a

perfect balance between the two. According to the results from my research the sweet spot leans

heavily towards using experience more than scientific studies. Across all four of the coaches, I

analyzed interviews from there were very similar practices when it came to writing programs.
 Raboi

All four of these coaches have years upon years of experience. This could be a factor that has

refined their process and possibly prevented them from looking at future information and

changing the way they do things. In addition, all four of the coaches I used came from a similar

background as John Meadows, Jim Wendler, and Dave Tate all trained under Louie Simmons to

varying degrees. Even though there is this flaw within the coaches I picked there are stick

commonalities that all four of them have kept several years after training around each other.

These commonalities have stuck with them for years and have even been there during some of

their most successful periods within their coaching and athletic careers. Due to the amount of

experience these four coaches have there is hesitation with using scientific studies. When you

have as much experience as these coaches do it is hard to try and change something that has been

working for as long as it has for them. Even though all four of these coaches come from slightly

different sports they all write programs in a similar fasion. This could be one important factor for

new and upcoming personal trainers to understand. There is no specific way to program for a

specific sport, but rather a broader formula that has many variables.

Conclusion-

Where the line between experience and scientific studies will never be completely

identified. Depending on who the coach is or who is programming the workout then the line will

slightly adjust where it is. The one thing that was consistent among the coaches is that

experience is highly important and even if scientific studies are heavily used there is still a heavy

importance on experience. The only way for this experience to be gained it through trial and
 Raboi

failure with writing different programs and the only way to figure out what to put in a workout

program would be by looking at studies for what is best. This could mean that as a coach or

personal trainer gets more tenure or has been writing programs for longer than they start to use

more and more experience. It is hard for an experiment to determine what would be best for

every individual when there is a vast array of body types with biological differences.

This research is not the end but allows for more research to be done. A comparison

between how the top guys write their programs and how the newer or younger coaches and

trainers write their programs. This finding could help bridge the gap between the top level and

the less experienced to make it more possible for people to get to that top echelon and trainer the

athletes they want to compete. In addition, a deeper dive into the science based community could

also supply some more information and how effective the scientific studies are and how they

could be used when writing custom programs for athletes. Between these two additional studies

the knowledge of how the top coaches and personal trainers write their programs which be more

easily available for newcomers to learn.

For new personal trainers and coaches entering the scene, the main goal should be to gain

experience. This could be done by just being willing to coach who ever will accept your

coaching and will listen. Not everyone will have the luxury that some of the top powerlifting and

bodybuilding coaches have in being able to work with the top of the line strength athletes. Being

able to learn from coaching is what allows experience to be built. As these trainers and coaches

gain experience, they will eventually be able to climb the ranks and coach more dedicated and

talented athletes.
 Raboi

Work Cited-

Barbell Brothers. “TBP #1 | Jim Wendler Ep 1 - Training Philosophy and 5/3/1 Basics | Part 1/2

[Pl Subs].” YouTube, 9 Sept. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=y94D1r815ZY.

Accessed 22 Nov. 2020.

“Barbell Shrugged: Westside Barbell and the Conjugate Method w/ Louie Simmons - The

Barbell Life.” Barbellshrugged.Libsyn.com, barbellshrugged.libsyn.com/westside-

 Raboi

barbell-and-the-conjugate-method-w-louis-simmons-the-barbell-life. Accessed 22 Nov.

2020.

Carter, Alison, et al. “Perspectives on Effective Coaching by Those Who Have Been Coached.”

International Journal of Training and Development, vol. 21, no. 2, June 2017, pp. 73–91.

EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1140655&authtype=shib

&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Desai, Farzanah, and Tim Seaholme. “Examining the Impact of Strength and Conditioning

Internships on Exercise and Sport Science Undergraduate Students.” International

Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, vol. 19, no. 1, Jan. 2018, pp. 81–91. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1179834&authtype=shib

&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Elitefts. “Elitefts Table Talk Podcast #47 - Beginners & Powerlifting | Elitefts.com.” YouTube,

24 Feb. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC6HWAPc_7k&feature=emb_logo.

Accessed 22 Nov. 2020.

Hall, Melinda, et al. “The Impact of Work-Integrated Learning Experiences on Attaining

Graduate Attributes for Exercise and Sports Science Students.” Asia-Pacific Journal of

Cooperative Education, vol. 18, no. 2, Jan. 2017, pp. 101–13. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1151149&authtype=shib

&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

“Interview with John Meadows – Propane Fitness.” Propanefitness.com,

propanefitness.com/interview-with-john-meadows/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2020.

 Raboi

Marangoz, Irfan, and Dede Bastürk. “The Relationship among Somatotype Structures, Leg

Volume, Leg Mass, Anaerobic Strength and Flexibility of Elite Male Athletes in

Different Branches.” Journal of Education and Training Studies, vol. 6, no. 7, July 2018,

pp. 130–137. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1183490&authtype=shib

&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Milton, Katherine, et al. “Comparison of Strength Gains in Untrained College-Age Females

Using Free Weights and Freemotion Machines.” Physical Educator, vol. 75, no. 1, Jan.

2018, pp. 37–49. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1171154&authtype=shib

&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Mountaindog1. “The Gauntlet: Program #23.” YouTube, 14 July 2016,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy80y_R7x_s. Accessed 22 Nov. 2020.

Nelson Montana, T Nation. “The Mad Monk of Power Lifting.” T NATION, www.t-

nation.com/training/mad-monk-of-power-lifting.

Nyman, Samppa. “Dave Tate’s Interview.” GOMETAL.COM, 14 Mar. 2014,

gometal.com/2014/03/14/dave-tates-interview/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2020.

Özbay, Serhat. “The Effects of Different Types of Strength Training for Recreational Purposes

on the Body Composition and Strength Development of University Students.” Asian

Journal of Education and Training, vol. 5, no. 2, Jan. 2019, pp. 381–385. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1224696&authtype=shib

&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
 Raboi

Wendler, Jim. “Quick Interview with Jim Wendler: Beginner Mistakes, Individualization, and

Your Path.” JimWendler.com, 2 Nov. 2017, jimwendler.com/blogs/jimwendler-

com/101065734-interview-with-jim-wendler. Accessed 22 Nov. 2020.

 Raboi

Appendix A: CITI Training Certificate

 Raboi

Appendix B: Coding Analysis

Coach Louie Simmons Dave Tate Jim Wendler John Meadows

Specialized Sport Powerlifting Powerlifting Football/ Bodybuilding

Conditioning

Known For -Westside Barbell -Elite FTS -5/3/1 Program -IFBB Pro

-Conjugate Method -Respected by Most -Contributed Bodybuilder

-Strength Consultant Athletes in Strength Articles to Elite -IFBB Pro+

-His view on Sports FTS+ Bodybuilder Coach

Steroids

Learned From -Studied the Soviets -Trained at -Trained at -Trained at

-Experimentation Westside Barbell Westside Barbell Westside Barbell

-Training Certain -Experimentation for a short period -Experimentation

Athletes Only -Surrounding with -Experimentation -Surrounding with

Certain People -Surrounding with Certain People

Certain People -Tom Platz

Focuses -Speed and Strength -Bringing aspects of -Focuses on -Variation to

-Doesn’t worry bodybuilding to bringing up prevent injuries and

about muscle growth powerlifting everyone on the build different

only strength -Mentality (Blast team rather than just muscle fibers

-Shorter rest periods and Dust vs Family making the best -Using chains and

to use different Man) players better bands which are

muscle fibers -Not being a “fat mostly used in

turd” powerlifting

Inventions -Reverse -Elite FTS -5/3/1 Program -Mountain Dog

hyperextension Diets

-Made bands/chains

popular
 Raboi

-Made good

mornings and box

squats popular

Rationale or Breaks down Breaks down If your worst “My training is

Reasons for what movements and movements and players are better geared towards

he does body parts into to body parts than their worst making good people

simpler movements players, then you great, and great

or parts win those match ups people even better.”

Scientific Study Doesn’t use a lot of Doesn’t use a lot of Doesn’t use a lot of Uses Scientific

Usage studies but looks at studies, but does scientific studies, studies as

movements and the experiment a lot to but instead uses a inspiration and will

body in a scientific see what will work proven formula and try what the studies

way sometimes. He best for certain customizes it for his say, but doesn’t

spent time studying people athletes praises the studies

the soviets and how

they trained rather

than studies.