Programming: Establishing Point A

Establishing Point A is the first step to generating a roadmap of training that gets the athlete from a subotimal point A, to a optimal point B.

What is Programming?

Simply put, programming is creating the roadmap of training that allows for the success of the athlete in their chosen sport. At Absolute, we conceptualize programming as a roadmap because the success of any program is dependent on knowing where the athlete is (current state) and where the athlete needs to be in the future (future state). Knowing where the athlete is currently at (i.e., point A), and where the athlete needs to be at (i.e., point B), is the requisite information that the programmer needs to create a roadmap of training.

roadmap [ rohd-map ]: a detailed plan to guide progress toward a goal

Establishing Point A

We know the current physical state of the athlete through establishing Point A. At Absolute, we establish this through 2 separate and specific means:

1. Via physical assessment of the athlete (i.e., FRA - functional range assessment).

2. Utilizing the athlete’s current strength training as a feedback mechanism to understand their current strength capacities - or lack thereof.

These are the two most important pieces that give the programmer the most quantifiable information about the current state of the system.

Understand: It is only when the information from these 2 separate means is synthesized together, that the programmer can establish the all-important Point A of the athlete.

Physical Assessment ( FRA)

For those familiar, we at Absolute use the Functional Range Assessment as a standard workup with any athlete. From a very basic perspective, it gives specific information about the quality and quantity of articular function. These results enable the programmer to establish Point A from a articular function/health + movement perspective. This specific full body articular analysis enables both the programmer and the athlete to know what joints are in a state of function, what joints are in a state of dysfunction, and the difference between those two states.

In addition, understanding the simple concept of range of motion (ROM) that is available to an articulation, measured by the ratio between the amount of active and passive ranges of motion of the analyzed joints, is further valuable information as to the state of articular function. Discrepancies in either passive or active motion are necessary information for the programmer to understand as it aids in the understanding of articular function/health.

It is these results, from the FRA, that establish not only a point A from a joint function/health + movement perspective but also enable the programmer to know the current level of trainability of the athlete. Trainability is a term that implies a margin of safety that is necessary when programming certain external training inputs for the athlete over the course of the program. We can cover the topic of joint trainability in a future article.

Strength Training as Feedback Mechanism

To establish Point A from a strength capacity standpoint, the programmer will simply utilize the athlete’s current training as a feedback loop. It is evident that all athletes will have some level of training for strength that they have undergone prior to you. Gathering this information is critical to understanding their training experience, their current training status and gives an overview of their current state of strength. It has been our experience at Absolute that most athletes we have encountered are undertrained (or inappropriately trained) and are lacking a level of current strength that is essential for their future success.

As an example, the athlete we just got tasked with programming for is an NFL offensive lineman. To establish Point A from a strength capacity standpoint, we will utilize his current training as a feedback mechanism. This allows us to create a cognitive loop where we can understand the relationship between his current (or previous) training and current strength capacities and how that relates to his articular function.

In working with NFL offensive linemen, this feedback loop has been critical to our programming. In many of the linemen that we have subsequently programmed for, we have noticed a glaring lack of coherence and feedback between the current state of the athlete and their current state of strength, as we often see there is no maximal effort training work being performed.

This lack of maximal effort training work enables us to know with certainty that absolute strength is not being systematically trained. To say this is a massive issue, would be a massive understatement, as we know the lineman is a true absolute strength athlete. But he is, for whatever reason(s), not utilizing what the science of training has unanimously agreed upon is the superior method to acquire absolute strength.¹

On the opposite end, if we utilize the current strength training of another NFL lineman as a feedback loop, we see that he has been systematically performing optimal maximal effort external training work using the box squat. Optimal, systematic training has enabled him to successfully lift 650lbs in the box squat in his last training session. Cognitively as the programmer, this information enables us to conclude that this lineman possesses an elite level of absolute strength for success in his chosen sport.

Putting this information into our feedback loop, it would be easy to conclude that this lineman possesses elite levels of absolute strength as he will be repeatability physically engaging with and must be able to move or not be moved by weight (i.e., load) of approx: 319lbs (the weight of another opposing lineman). If we simply take 50% of 650lbs, we get 325lbs. For this optimally trained lineman, that is a submaximal weight. In addition, he has also been training optimally utilizing the dynamic effort method concurrently, so that he can move that submaximal on the full spectrum of speeds, developing the necessary special strengths that elite linemen possess. This is a highly trained athlete.

Hopefully, it is clear to see that the art of programming rests in the quality of the information gathered and how that is used in the quality of the decisions made by the programmer. This is the ultimate importance of creating the necessary feedback loops that drive this process.

Incomplete Point A

The central premise of this article is for the programmer to understand that establishing Point A requires the syntheses of two critical feedback loops and that anything less is an incomplete Point A. Making sure that we have a clear understanding of both the current state of strength capacities and the current state of articular function/health, which defines articular trainability is paramount for the programmer to make accurate decisions concerning the athlete and their future training.

Any programming done from an incomplete point A will be suboptimal at best. If it wasn’t for luck, there would be absolutely no chance of getting the athlete to the all-important point where he/she is in an optimal position for success in their chosen sport. Programming from an incomplete Point A leads to the generation of an incomplete roadmap for training. A roadmap where accommodation is the speed limit and the destination is lost or injured.

Programming from an incomplete Point A leads to the generation of an incomplete roadmap for training.

Establishing Point B

Now that we understand the central premise of establishing Point A for the programmer (i.e., strength coach), we will focus our efforts on establishing Point B — the optimal point of the athlete if he/she is to ensure success in sport. Once Point A and Point B are established, we will be in an optimal place to generate a roadmap of training — once that is done, you will understand, in theory, how to program optimally.

works cited:

1. Zatsiorsky, V. M., Kraemer, W. J., & Fry, A. C. (2021). The Science and Practice of Strength Training. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.