Choosing a system

As a strength coach working with teams to improve strength, speed, agility and conditioning I quickly learned how important it was to develop a system in order to make my life essier and my programs better.

When I first started out I would write each workout a day or 2 beforehand and give only minimal thought to the other sessions. It did not take long to learn how much more work it added since I had to look at what I did last time, decide what to keep and progress, what to introduce and what to phase out. My lack of work up front turned into a lot of work later.

Once I had more than one group or team I was training it became imperative to develop a system for what I wanted to accomplish. My approach then became to talk with the player and coaches to develop the goals for the team and then the time paremeters I had to work with to work toward achieving those goals.

The fitness industry abounds with different programs, philosophies and ways of doing things. As you learn more, progress professionally and train the same types if clients you start to have your own way of doing things. This way of doing things that you adapt starts to form the framework for your system. I believed in training athletes how to move more efficiently, develop body weight strength and power and get quicker, faster and more fit. Once I knew this, I began to put a system in place to achieve my goals and replicate it with other teams and groups. 

The most important factor I learned in developing my system was that it had to be easy for me to teach and easy for the players to learn. I do not necessarily believe that there are bad systems (although some may be better than others) but there is bad implementation, both in teaching it to athletes and them learning it. 

I believe that this is the most critical favctor in creating a system for business, training and life. It has to be easy to teach and easy to learn. It will change and evolve over time as you learn new things and make adjustments just like any other good program, but if the foundation is not strong then no matter how much you learn you will not effective. 

Your system is a reflection of you: your philosophy, values and personality. When you create it as a reflection of yourself you will improve your ability to implement it.