#162 - Learning How to Program

We often hear programming referred to as an art grounded in science, and learning to write good programming can take time. You get those with some academic background who struggle to match it with real world application, often leading to programming that is not feasible or that misses the forest for the trees. On the other hand, some coaches may struggle with the theory behind programming, which can create challenges in long term development or in understanding how to go deeper when training certain qualities. A combination of learning the essential theory, like learning basic multiplication, and then using tested and proven programming usually creates a good balance. In this episode we talk about our own experiences in learning how to programme, teaching others how to programme, and learning from our mistakes while trialling programming on ourselves. Check it out to hear more about Jon's first (wild) experience of carb loading as a teenager, tales of early internet training information on T-Nation, and our recommendations for coaches looking to learn how to programme. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] What's the best way to learn how to program [2:00] Learn the basics of sets and reps first [5:00] Using in digestible content and information first with programmes [7:00] When theory isn't quite practical [10:00] Learning through magazines and T-Nation [12:30] When making mistakes can be helpful [14:45] Programming for yourself [17:15] Applying energy system development to mixed work [20:15] Experimenting on yourself first