029: Alex Sirard – How to Build a Training Program (BKin, PES, NCCP FMS)

Show Notes:
In this episode, Alex Sirard – a sport performance coach and founder of EVO Athletics – joins me to break down the strategy for building a customized training program.

Alex has had a very extensive junior hockey career playing in the WHL, AJHL, and SJHL. Most recently Alex played at the CIS level for the Pronghorns at the University of Lethbridge where he graduated with a Degree in Kinesiology. Alex has great knowledge in movement patterns and as a very good rapport with his athletes.

This episode will give you the framework you need to build a personalized training program catered to your goals, from multi-week training blocks right down to the details of building supersets.

TOPICS:
[2:44] How to build a training program?
[14:25] Effectively managing workloads and fatigue
[21:03] Designing each individual training session
[25:47] Training with intention
[32:06] Energy System Development (ESD)
[37:50] Speed & neural training
[45:02] Supersets: Why and how?
 
Designing a Custom Training Program
Training programs can be customized in countless ways. But despite the overwhelming number of strategies, techniques, and program formats in place, there is a fundamental structure that can serve to guide program design.

Alex Sirard shares a structure that can be used along with numerous examples in this episode. Here, we will provide a brief layout of a program framework and an example.

A Program with Intention
First things first, you need to be clear about your motivation. Why are your training? What are your goals? How important is your training?

Without a clear understanding of your intention, it will be difficulty to create the optimal program for you.

Secondly, it is important to set a specific goal. Specificity can be in terms of a time frame, body composition changes, body weight, or performance goals. For example, training programs for specific sports, health, and bodybuilding will look very different.

The Program Framework
This design will take a top-down approach, focusing on macro program variables and then zooming in on the details of a training program.”

Training Blocks
First up, it is important to structure your program into training blocks. Depending on the timeline you have to achieve your goals (indefinite vs 3 months), you will want to structure your program accordingly.

Typically, this may be in training blocks ranging from 3-6 weeks. Depending on training intensity and loading, it may also be necessary to program a ‘deloading week.’ Essentially, this active recovery week can be used to allow the Central Nervous System (CNS) to recover from excessive training in the previous weeks, helping to ensure health and sustainability.

Weekly Splits
Next, the focus is on designing your week. This starts off by determining the frequency of training, often ranging between 3-6 days/week. This is highly variable and based on availability and goals.

Common splits break workouts into muscle groups, such as chest, legs, back, arms, etc. However, another common split is a PPL (Push, Pull, Legs) training set up. Splits are designed to allow for optimal rest for muscle groups between training sessions.

However, it is also common to incorporate full body training sessions, require more periodization when programming daily sessions and carefully managing workloads. RPE (Rate of perceived exertion) autoregulation may be very valuable for frequent full body workouts. Meanwhile, full body workouts done only three times a week are more manageable because of the additional rest time.

Daily Training Session
There are many considerations within each workout, but some key features are consistent. First, a well-designed training session always starts with a warm-up. Not only is this important for injury prevention, but a proper warm-up can also facilitate optimal performance in the session.

For sport-specific training, incorporating speed and neural training is an excellent way to optimize athleticism, speed, and explosiveness. These exercises are geared towards high-speed movements that simulate athletic movements, while also activating the nervous system for optimal performance.

Next will be the primary lifts. These consist of the most demanding exercises, those that tax the CNS the most. Typically, these will be compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, and the bench press.

Following the primary lifts are secondary lifts. There may be significant variety contained with these lifts, which are designed to supplement primary exercises and support the training goals. In some cases, this may be additional strength work, hypertrophy training, or possibly mobility work.

Finally, Energy System Development (ESD) is the final session. Most commonly described as cardio, the intention is to train aerobic systems for maximum performance or health. Running, biking, swimming, and HIIT circuits may serve as ESD work.

An Example Training Program
In this example, assume that a 180lbs male is looking to gain 5lbs of muscle mass, decrease body fat, and primarily focus on upper body strength and size. Additionally, an important goal is to improve health and longevity.

Here is a what a possible program may look like:

Training Blocks:
6 weeks following progressive overload (gradual increase in volume and intensity) with the last week being an active recovery week (training intensity and volume reduced below Week 1).

Weekly Split:
Monday: Upper body push – Strength focus
Tuesday: Upper body pull – Strength focus
Wednesday: Lower body push
Thursday: Upper body push – Hypertrophy focus
Friday: Upper body pull – Hypertrophy focus
Saturday: Lower body pull
Sunday: Rest / Active recovery

Daily:
Warm up (15 mins)
Speed & Neural (10 mins)
Primary (15 mins)
Secondary – 2-3 synergistic supersets (30 mins)
ESD (10 mins)
Cool Down / Stretch (10 mins)

The Finer Details:
For a complex discussion on this program development and key considerations, the whole episode offers much greater detail. Topics such as RPE Autoregulation, recovery modalities, synergistic vs antagonistic supersets, speed and neural training exercises, and more are discussed in depth.

And for further clarifications or questions, feel free to reach out to Braeden Ostepchuk or Alex Sirard on social media.

Learn more about Alex Sirard and EVO Athletics:
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Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.