When MED Isn’t Effective: Confronting the Human Element

MED offers a useful framework to modify lifters’ programming, taking a lifter from the novice linear progression to and through advanced, longer, more complicated programs.  Small changes not only increase stress, lengthen the stress recovery-adaptation-cycle, and bring continued PRs but allow the coach and lifter to tweak a program that has brought success, experiment with which small changes tend to enable more progress, and tailor effective templates to the lifter.

Despite MED’s utility, small changes may stop being effective because of lifters’ changed goals or boredom.

If lifters’ goals change, coaches can modify programming to better suit their goals.  The goal suggests the path because we understand how to better program for hypertrophy, weight loss, or a triathlon.

If lifters grow bored of the relative similarity that advanced programming can sometimes bring, we can alter programming substantially to keep lifters interested and enjoying the process.  We can also encourage changes outside of programming.  Some potential changes include AMRAPs, new lift variants, Westside-style programming, changing from block to DUP or vice versa, lifting in a public gym or outside, finding a lifting partner, dynamic training, and signing up for a competition.

Boredom Can Hit Even When the Program Works

Many Barbell Logic coaches see the same pattern: advanced clients get bored with a program even when it is still producing PRs and moving them toward their goals. Guard against program hopping and chasing the shiny object. But if a client has trained one way for a long time (for example, chasing numbers), a bigger change may be due. This rarely applies to novices or early intermediates, who still need to build their base of strength; a little extra conditioning or hypertrophy work at the end of a session is usually enough variety for them.

Give Training a Purpose

Most advanced lifters need something to train for. A few people can keep grinding toward a goal as vague as “get stronger and healthier,” but that is rare. If there is no goal on the horizon, talk one through. A new goal might mean focusing on volume and hypertrophy instead of weight on the bar, losing weight, building conditioning or another activity outside the gym, or trying something new like Olympic weightlifting.

Change the Method or the Exercises

The goal can stay the same while the method changes. EMOMs, tonnage totals, and circuits let lifters keep training their lifts in a way that feels different from typical sets of 5. Exercise variation helps too: try supplemental lifts you normally skip, like front squats or sumo deadlifts, or keep one heavy lift at the start and do the rest of the session as accessories in a circuit or for a pump.

Weigh the Tradeoffs

Before a big shift, look honestly at what the new path requires and what it costs. Matt shares that when a client proposes changing goals for a while, the client often changes his mind once Matt explains what the new process will look like. If you are sick of your training but don’t want to program hop, change the goal, the exercise selection, or the training method, and make sure the tradeoffs still fit your long-term goals.