Program Design for Strength with Sean Mcinroy

You're a coach writing programmes for strength-focused clients. You've been doing this for a few years. You know the methods, you know the exercises, you know the science. But every time you sit down to programme, you second-guess every decision. 4x8 or 5x5? Trap bar or back squat? Upper-lower or push-pull-legs? You burn an hour on something that should take twenty minutes, and the programme that lands on the client's desk looks suspiciously like the last five you wrote.

You're stuck because you're treating every lifter the same. A beginner, an intermediate, and an advanced athlete don't just need different exercises — they need entirely different programming logic. Confident programming comes from understanding where your lifter actually is, then reverse-engineering from there. This workshop teaches you how to do that, so you write faster, decide with less second-guessing, and individualise without overcomplicating.

What will I actually walk away with?

• A repeatable process for reverse-engineering programmes from the lifter rather than the template
• A clear framework for identifying where a client genuinely sits across beginner, intermediate, advanced, and elite — and what that means for every programming decision
• The tools to programme for a specific lift - deliberate, targeted development of individual movements rather than general fitness
• Clarity on which programming variables genuinely shift across levels and which ones are noise
• A practical model for seasonal programming: when to drive progression, when to run maintenance, and how to sequence both
• The ability to write programmes faster without dropping quality or individualisation
• Confidence to justify every decision in a programme, grounded in the lifter rather than the textbook
• A realistic approach to peak performance for the everyday athlete — the person with three training days a week who still wants to be genuinely strong

WHAT HAPPENS ON THE DAY

The workshop runs for approximately 4 hours from 10:00am. It's an intensive working session with no scheduled break, so it stays in flow and momentum. 

Block 1 – The programming problem. Why coaches get stuck. What "majoring in the minors" actually costs you and your clients. Why beginner, intermediate, advanced, and elite aren't just experience labels — and how programming logic has to shift across each.

Block 2 – The assessment system. How to identify where a lifter genuinely sits. How to surface what's worked before, what hasn't, and how to turn that into clear programming decisions - including how to build towards a specific lift and how to structure seasonal cycles around the athlete's life.

Block 3 – Application. Live programme-building using the framework. Decision-making in real time. Justifying your choices out loud, getting feedback, and cutting decisions faster without losing individualisation.

IS THIS RIGHT FOR ME?

This is for coaches working with general population clients with roughly 1–10 years of programming experience. If you keep defaulting to the same exercise selections, the same rep schemes, the same template, and you can sense your clients deserve something more individualised, this is the workshop.

WHO IS THIS NOT FOR?

Coaches looking for a stack of done-for-you templates to drop on every client. The whole point of the workshop is teaching you to write differently for different people. If you want a copy-paste template library, this isn't the right session.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What do I need to bring? Notepad or iPad for notes. Water and a snack. The workshop runs straight through with no scheduled break.
2. Is lunch included? No. The workshop finishes around 2:00pm so you can grab food after. Eat beforehand if you don't want to wait.
3. What level of experience is this for? Coaches with roughly 1–10 years of experience working with general population clients. New coaches still finding their feet may find it more useful to attend after they've been writing programmes for a year or so.
4. Do I need a specific qualification? No. A working understanding of training principles is expected, but no specific certification is required.
5. Will I be writing programmes on the day? Yes. The session includes live programme-building and feedback.
6. What if I need to cancel? Cancel 7+ days before the event for a full refund. Within 7 days, no refund is available, but you can transfer your spot to a future date. Email info@thepfca.com.
7. What's the next step after this? Apply the assessment tool and decision framework with your clients straight away. The framework is designed to speed up programme writing and improve individualisation from the next session you write.