Coach HubPrinciples, not rules
This course teaches principles, not rules. Every number you'll see in later modules is a good starting point, not a law. Start there, then adapt to the person in front of you.
Take 10,000 steps a day. Somewhere along the way it became a magic number that everyone follows without thinking. It isn't magic. It's a reasonable default for a lot of people, and a pointless fight for some.
Luke and his 8,000 steps
Luke sits at about 8,000 steps a day, every day. Walking more just doesn't fit his life. But he trains like a madman when he's in the gym.
The rulebook says push him to 10–12k. Instead, I coached around it. He's bulking, and lower daily movement means lower expenditure, so I can find his ideal rate of gain on fewer calories. When I want a bit more output, I add some StairMaster to his gym sessions, which he's happy to do because he's already there. No fight, no friction, and he's progressing.
The two-meal client
I had a client who was convinced he only had time to eat twice a day. Honestly, I didn't believe him at first. I wanted him on three balanced meals. But the only way I ever got adherence was two monster meals a day, and that's how we got his results.
The starting points you'll meet later
These are the defaults this course uses. Treat each one as where you start, not where you have to finish.
| Area | Starting point | Covered in |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | ~2.2 g/kg for men, ~1.8 g/kg for women | Module 3 |
| Meal structure | Structured meals with options (e.g. 3 meals + 2 snacks) | Module 3 |
| Rate of fat loss | Faster when body fat is higher, slower as they lean out | Modules 3 and 6 |
| Daily steps | ~10k as a common default, adjusted to the person | Modules 4 and 6 |
| Training effort | Compounds ~1 rep in reserve, isolation close to failure | Module 4 |
Some clients respond better to higher fats and lower carbs. Some need a slower rate of loss because life is full and they're happy with steady progress. That's all fine. Adherence is the deciding factor.
Don't get smarter than the solution
Here's the other half of this principle, and it matters just as much. If the client is progressing, don't change anything. Coaches love to tinker. Don't think you're smarter than a plan that's working.
The rulebook is for the initial setup. After that, the client's results tell you what to adapt.