The Best Program Is the One You Can Actually Run
- Josh Hezza
- 4 days ago
- 12 min read
Why your training isn’t working — and how to fix it.
The Best Program Is the One You Can Actually Run
Why your training isn’t working — and how to fix it.
Every lifter wants the program — the one that finally cracks the code. The perfect blend of volume and intensity, the ultimate set/rep structure, the ideal peak. We chase the algorithm, the spreadsheet, the influencer’s “secret sauce.” And yet?
Most lifters stall. Not because their programming sucks — but because it just doesn’t fit their life.
Let’s be honest. The problem isn’t in the program or PDF. It’s in the reality.
It’s in the fact that you’re trying to run a six-day-per-week program while working 50 hours and raising two kids. It’s in the fact that your coach has given you a high-volume, high-fatigue template — while you’ve just come off a minor injury, haven’t slept in three days, and your motivation’s in the bin. It’s in the fact that training feels like a second job — and you’re not even getting paid.
A program can look amazing on paper. That doesn’t mean it’ll work in practice.
You’re Not a Robot
There’s a strange lie that’s infected the strength world — the idea that if you’re serious, you’ll make anything work. That you’ll grind harder, push through, and follow the spreadsheet no matter what. That boredom, burnout, or breakdown are signs you’re finally doing it right.
And sure — consistency matters. Yes — hard training has its place. But let’s be real for a second:
Most of us aren’t elite. Most of us aren’t full-time athletes. Most of us don’t have someone else cooking our meals, prepping our gear, or managing our recovery.
We’re juggling work, family, stress, ADHD, autoimmune conditions, depression, missed sleep, chaotic gyms, and other people’s expectations — while trying to train hard, stay healthy, and maybe even enjoy it a little.
If your program doesn’t account for any of that, is it actually built for you?
“Embrace the Suck” Is Not a Lifestyle and certainly isn't the Best Program
There’s value in mental toughness. There’s wisdom in pushing through when it matters. But too many lifters have been led to believe that hating their training is just part of the deal. That feeling exhausted, demotivated, or injured is some badge of honour.
You’ll hear:
“Sometimes it’s just boring.”
“Training doesn’t have to be fun.”
“Suck it up and stick with it.”
Fair enough — sometimes you do. But if every session feels like a grind, if you’re dragging yourself to the gym with zero excitement, if your joints feel worse every week and your progress has stalled?
That’s not toughness. That’s misalignment.
You’re running a program designed for someone else’s lifestyle, physiology, and goals — and wondering why it’s not working.
“What Would Louie Do?”
Louie Simmons was never about blind adherence to a fixed plan. He believed in systems — not templates. In adapting to what’s in front of you, rotating movements, fixing weaknesses, training around injury, and keeping progress alive even when life gets chaotic.
Louie’s gym was full of monsters — but also misfits. Lifters with odd leverages, injuries, crooked squats, and unconventional needs. His approach worked not because it was rigid, but because it was adaptable. That’s the lesson.
You don’t need to abandon structure. You need a structure that adapts with you.
You need a method that accounts for life — not just comp day.
And you need to buy in — not just “follow along.”
That means:
Understanding the purpose behind your lifts
Having a say in your programming
Tracking what’s actually happening in your sessions
Being allowed to pivot without guilt
Running something built for you — not just a training block stolen from a pro
It Doesn’t Matter How “Good on Paper” It Is If You Can’t Run It
Why great programming still fails — and what lifters aren’t saying out loud.
Let’s just be blunt:
A program that should work — but leaves you bored, burnt out, or skipping sessions — doesn’t work. Not for you. Not right now. Maybe not ever.
And yet, lifters stay in those programs every day. Not because they believe in them — but because they feel like they can’t leave.
The Quiet Crisis: Stuck in a System That Doesn’t Fit
I hear the same story over and over.
Lifters tell me they’re:
Demotivated.
Not progressing.
Just coasting through sessions.
And when I ask what’s going on, it’s never just about sets or reps. It’s about the relationship with the program or the coach — and how hard it is to walk away from something that’s “meant” to be working.
“I don’t want to quit — I’ve worked with them for years.”
“They’re well respected, so the issue must be me.”
“They’re the gym owner. It would be awkward.”
So they stay. Not because it’s helping. But because leaving feels disloyal, uncomfortable, or like admitting failure.
And if you feel stuck because of gym politics, awkward coaching dynamics, or local loyalty?
You don’t have to leave your gym to change your programming.
Hybrid and remote coaching options exist for exactly this reason — so you can train where you want, without being tied to what isn’t working.
The Culture of Silence
Too many lifters are stuck in situations where they:
Feel like their questions will be seen as criticism.
Get vague or contradictory answers when they do ask.
Are afraid of rocking the boat.
Tell themselves it’s normal to be disengaged — that training “isn’t supposed to be fun.”
This isn’t just about hurt feelings. It’s about wasted potential.
Because if you’re quietly going through the motions on a program that bores you to tears… If your sessions feel like a chore you endure, not a challenge you engage with… If you’ve stopped believing that changes are possible, and started hoping the next block might be better…
That’s not coaching. That’s captivity.
Respect Doesn’t Equal Relevance
It’s possible to admire a coach — and outgrow their system. It’s possible to believe in a training philosophy — and still need a different approach. It’s possible to love a gym — and realise the programming doesn’t match where you are now.
Respect shouldn’t mean staying quiet. Familiarity shouldn’t mean you have to keep training in a way that’s actively draining you.
No program is universal. And no good coach should expect you to keep showing up for something that doesn’t serve you — just because they’re “well known” or “used to work for you.”
Common Myths That Keep Lifters Stuck
“My coach is famous, so they must know better than me.” “If I leave, I’m disrespecting their time.” “If I’m not progressing, I must be doing it wrong.”
These stories keep lifters trapped — not by poor programming, but by misplaced loyalty or self-doubt.
The truth is: great coaches welcome feedback. Smart lifters make changes when things stop working. And real progress doesn’t come from sticking it out just to be polite.
If your gut says it’s not working? That’s data worth listening to.
Boredom Isn’t a Requirement
One of the biggest lies lifters get told is that boredom, burnout, or frustration are just part of the game.
That:
“It’s meant to suck.”
“You won’t always be motivated.”
“Stop overthinking and just do the work.”
And yes — sometimes you do need to grind. But constant disengagement is not a test of character. It’s a sign that something needs to change.
Training should challenge you. It should stretch your abilities, build your resilience, and move you closer to your goals. But it shouldn’t feel like punishment. And it shouldn’t make you question whether you even like lifting anymore.
The Real Question
Forget the program for a second. Ask yourself:
Are you actually excited to train right now?
Do you know why you’re doing each lift, each week?
Do you feel supported — or just directed?
Do you believe things are building — or just spinning?
If you can’t answer “yes” to at least three of those… It’s not on you. It’s on the program — or the person who wrote it — to change.
Because even the best training system in the world is worthless if it doesn’t work for you.
Motivation Dies When Autopilot Kicks In
Why your progress stalls when training becomes just another box to tick.
Here’s a hard truth:
No one builds their best deadlift while dreading every deadlift session.
Sure, some training days will be hard. Some phases will be uncomfortable. But if you’re dragging yourself to every session, clocking in with zero intent, and half-assing your way through just to say you showed up? That’s not grit. That’s stagnation.
And it’s probably why your lifts aren’t moving.
You’re Not Supposed to Hate This
You don’t need to be entertained every minute of every workout. You don’t need flashy new exercises every week. But if training feels like punishment — if it’s something you survive, not something you do with purpose — it’s time to take that seriously.
Because you can’t build elite strength on autopilot. Not for long. Not without something breaking.
The Myth of "Just Stick to the Plan"
Some people can grind through boredom and still get stronger. They’ve got the genetics, the recovery, the baseline explosiveness to make it work — even if the programming is mind-numbing.
But those people are the exception. They’re not the model.
Mitchell Hooper can keep running the same basic linear structure and still get stronger. You’re probably not him. And more importantly? You don’t need to be.
Most lifters — especially those who juggle work, families, injuries, and everyday chaos — need more than just sets and reps on a whiteboard. They need a reason to care. They need structure and flexibility. They need to feel like what they’re doing actually matters — and leads somewhere.
Otherwise, motivation doesn’t just drop. It disappears.
The Neurodivergent Reality: One Size Doesn’t Fit Anyone
And if you’re neurodivergent — ADHD, autistic, or anything in between — this matters tenfold.
For many lifters, conventional programming advice just doesn’t land. It assumes:
Linear attention
Predictable routines
Emotional consistency
Executive function on tap
But for neurodivergent lifters, that’s not the baseline. That’s the fantasy.
Some days you’re hyperfocused and ready to crush everything. Some days you can barely figure out what to wear to the gym. Some weeks your brain’s lighting up with progress ideas — others it’s like dragging a wet mattress through your frontal lobe.
So when programming doesn’t account for that — when it’s rigid, unforgiving, and prescriptive — it stops being supportive. It becomes something you’re constantly failing at.
And the second training becomes a source of guilt or frustration instead of growth? You’re done. Not because you’re weak. But because the system was never built for you in the first place.
Training Should Be Structured — Not Suffocating
There’s a difference between discipline and drudgery. A good training system challenges you — but it also adapts to you.
That’s why the best programs aren’t the ones with the perfect spreadsheet logic. They’re the ones you can actually run. The ones that build momentum instead of draining it. The ones that make you want to train — even when you’re tired, busy, or neurospicy as hell.
Because if you’re mentally checking out every session, the rest doesn’t matter. Motivation dies the moment training becomes just another thing you “have to do.” And strength dies with it.
You Can’t Build Consistency on a System That Ignores Your Brain
Especially if your brain doesn’t work like everyone else’s.
Most training advice is built for a particular kind of brain. Linear. Predictable. Able to grind without needing to know why. Motivated by routine, not overstimulated by it. Able to stay locked in for 6 weeks straight chasing a 2.5kg PR like a lab rat after a pellet.
But if you’re neurodivergent — ADHD, autistic, or just wired a little different — that advice doesn’t just miss the mark. It can actively push you away from training.
You’re Not Broken. The System Might Be.
Rigid programming doesn’t always feel “structured.” Sometimes, it feels like a trap.
When every session looks the same… When there’s no feedback loop, no creativity, no personal input… When every decision has already been made for you, down to the accessory rep count…
That’s not accountability. That’s disengagement waiting to happen.
And when you inevitably start to skip sessions, half-finish your warm-ups, or ghost your spreadsheets — people will call it laziness. Or inconsistency. Or a lack of discipline.
But it’s not that.
It’s a misfit between the system… And the brain running it.
Structure Without Suffocation
Neurodivergent lifters don’t need less structure. They just need the right kind.
Here’s what actually helps:
Clarity with flexibility → Know the goal of the session, but allow some leeway in how it’s achieved. For example: “Hit a heavy triple to a solid RPE 8” instead of “exactly 3x3 at 82.5%.”
Varied progression cues → Chase more than just load. Track bar speed, intent, position, explosiveness, technical confidence. Sometimes just showing up and executing with purpose is the win.
Sessions that actually end → No three-hour marathons unless they truly serve your goals and your energy. Not everything needs a finisher, three drop sets, and a soul-searching sled drag. Shorter, punchier sessions breed sustainability.
Movement novelty with movement intent → It’s not about randomising training. It’s about rotating with purpose, using variation to stimulate attention, engagement, and physical adaptation. That’s literally what Conjugate is for.
This Isn’t Softness. It’s Strategy.
You can be an absolute workhorse and still struggle with conventional training structures. That’s not a character flaw. It’s neurology.
And the fix isn’t “man up” or “push through” — it’s reprogramming the approach so it actually works for the lifter in front of you.
This is why so many lifters burn out under cookie-cutter plans — not because the program is bad, but because it’s indifferent. It was never built for them.
Real coaching? Real programming?
It doesn’t ignore the brain. It works with it.
Because strength isn’t just about the body. It’s about building a system that lets the mind show up, week after week, without resistance.
And if your current system makes that impossible? You don’t need more motivation. You need a better fit.
Training Shouldn’t Be Misery Unless You’re Paid for It
If you’re not a pro — stop training like one if it’s ruining your life.
Look — training is meant to be hard sometimes. You’ll get sore. You’ll face sets you don’t want to do. You’ll question whether Bulgarian split squats are a genuine training tool or just an elaborate punishment.
But if you’re not getting paid to lift? If this is something you do because you love it, because it makes your life better, because it’s your thing…
Then it shouldn’t feel like a full-time job you resent.
Passion, Not Paycheck
Most lifters aren’t chasing prize money or sponsorships. They’re chasing progress. Confidence. Strength that shows up in life, not just on a scoreboard.
And yet — somehow — training still ends up feeling like a chore. Why?
Because so many plans are built like you’re an elite athlete with:
Unlimited recovery capacity
No external stress
A bottomless motivation tank
A support team, massage therapist, and time to nap after every squat session
You don’t have that. You have work. Family. Shifting priorities. Maybe a dodgy hip or a mental health dip or a two-week stretch where sleep went out the window.
And if your training system doesn’t account for that? It’ll fail. Even if it looks brilliant on paper.
Training Should Be Built to Fit You
That doesn’t mean soft. It doesn’t mean aimless. It means purposeful, flexible, and real.
The programs I build — in coaching, in ebooks, in templates — are about that fit. They’re not just “what worked for me.” They’re what works when you have four hours a week, a handful of implements, and a brain that doesn’t always want to go train.
They’re about building something you can actually run. Something that respects your energy. That gives you progress and pride without burning you out.
Supporting All Levels — Not Just the Top 1%
That’s the real value I try to add with everything I put out:
Coaching for real people, with real limits and real potential.
Ebooks and templates that feel more like guides than rules.
An affiliate scheme that genuinely empowers lifters at every level — from the first comp nerves to chasing podiums on the world stage.
Because whether you’re deadlifting 120kg or 320kg, the goal’s the same: Build a program that works for you. Not just one that sounds clever on Instagram.
Burnout Isn’t a Badge of Honour
If your training breaks you, it’s broken.
There’s a strange pride in parts of the lifting world: If you’re not exhausted, you’re not working hard enough. If you’re not crawling out of the gym or permanently sore, are you even trying?
It’s nonsense. And it’s not helping anyone.
Burnout isn’t a rite of passage. It’s a sign that something in the system is off — whether that’s volume, intensity, frequency, or just the sheer mismatch between what’s programmed and what you can recover from.
Fatigue Isn’t the Goal. Progress Is.
Let’s make something clear: Being tired doesn’t mean your training is effective. It just means your nervous system, joints, and mental bandwidth are getting hit — and not always in a productive way.
I’ve seen it too many times:
Lifters dragging themselves through four-hour sessions that worked fine for their coach, but leave them limping for days.
Programming that builds load for six weeks straight with no regard for what’s happening outside the gym.
Athletes who think rest is weakness — right up until they plateau or snap something.
There’s a time for strain. There’s a time to push. But if you’re constantly battered, demotivated, or resentful of the process? That’s not toughness. That’s a red flag.
Sustainable Doesn’t Mean Soft
Sustainable training isn’t about lowering the bar. It’s about raising your standards for what actually works. Because what works isn’t what hammers you. It’s what builds you — consistently, intelligently, and with enough margin for the rest of your life.
That’s why so much of my work — coaching, ebooks, the affiliate system — is built around a different standard:
One where fatigue is earned, not automatic.
One where progress is tracked beyond just bar weight.
One where the long game matters more than today’s grind.
If you’re proud of how hard your training is, but you’re not actually getting better? You’ve confused suffering with success.
What You Need Isn’t Just a New Program — It’s the Right One
Strength doesn’t stall because you’re lazy. It stalls because your training stopped fitting the rest of your life.
Progress happens when your program makes sense — when it feels purposeful, sustainable, and tailored to you. Not to the lifter next to you. Not to a spreadsheet from someone who’s never met you. To your goals, your schedule, your headspace.
That’s why everything I build — from ebooks to full coaching systems — is made to adapt:
✅ For lifters with jobs, families, and more than one hour a day to train
✅ For athletes dealing with injury, low energy, or burnout
✅ For neurodivergent lifters who need structure and flexibility
✅ For anyone sick of being told “it works if you just stick it out” when it clearly doesn’t
You’re not a machine. You’re not a robot. And the best program in the world? Useless if you can’t actually run it.
Ready to Train Smarter?
💥 Grab an adaptive ebook — like Barebones Conjugate, The Art of Peaking, or Fix Your Weaknesses
🎯 Or get coaching built around your life — not someone else’s template
📲 Instagram: @jh___eliteperformance
Let’s build something that works for you — and keeps working.
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