#104 The Traffic Light System

Your training plan might be solid, but life does not care. When sleep tanks, stress spikes, or a niggle shows up, most people do one of two things: force the session and pay for it later, or sack it off and feel guilty. We use a simple answer that works in the gym and outside it too: the traffic light system. Larry and Daniel talk through what green, amber, and red actually mean for real-world coaching, not motivational posters. Green is when you can push progressive overload because recovery is there. Amber is where most people live: you still train, but you auto-regulate by reducing volume, leaving more reps in reserve, extending rest, and keeping the session low pressure. Red is when you pump the brakes, prioritise recovery, and sometimes use a deload week so one rough day does not turn into two lost weeks. We also dig into the mindset piece: why rigid “I must do the plan” thinking creates burnout, how to spot your warning signs early, and why we’d rather play chess with long-term outcomes than chase a single hard session. If you want smarter strength training, better fatigue management, and a calmer way to stay consistent through busy weeks, this one is for you. If it helps, share it with a mate who always trains on red days, and please subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the show. Got questions? simply email or dm us with those questions Larry IG https://www.instagram.com/larry_doyle_coaching Daniel IG https://www.instagram.com/danieldalycoaching Website https://www.larrydoylecoaching.ie Coaching with us https://www.larrydoylecoaching.ie/1-1-premium/ Email : [email protected]