Frameworks Episode 13 Recap: Stimulus → Adaptation: The Framework Behind Effective Programming
Frameworks with Carl Hardwick | CoachRx Podcast Network
If you’ve ever felt like your programming is solid but your clients still aren’t progressing, it’s probably not the exercise selection that’s holding them back.
It’s the prescription.
Any coach can build a workout. But professional coaching isn’t about throwing together exercises. It’s about delivering the right stimulus to create a specific adaptation.
This episode is part 1 of a 3 part series and also a free guide I have created for you to go deeper on the 3 Frameworks I believe every coach needs. You can get the free guide here.
In this episode, I walk through one of the most misunderstood but most important concepts in program design: how to connect the training stress you prescribe to the biological change you’re actually trying to create.
Let’s dig in.
Why This Framework Matters
Here’s what you need to know:
Exercise isn’t enough.
Intensity isn’t the answer.
Variety isn’t always a virtue.
Coaching is about clarity. About understanding the adaptation your client needs and delivering the stimulus required to get them there.
This shift, from activity to intention is what separates random programming from long-term results.
The Stimulus → Adaptation Framework
Every effective program is grounded in this reality: the body adapts to what it consistently experiences.
We often forget that exercise is a form of stress. Done well, it creates change. Done poorly, it creates chaos.
Here’s the breakdown:
1. Identify the Desired Adaptation
Start with the outcome.
Ask yourself: What kind of change am I trying to create?
Strength?
Hypertrophy?
Aerobic endurance?
Motor control?
Resilience?
And even deeper: Is this a neuromuscular, metabolic, or technical adaptation?
You can’t chase all of them at once. Define the goal, or you’ll never know if you’re moving in the right direction.
2. Prescribe the Appropriate Stimulus
Now it’s time to program with precision.
Here are your tools:
Load
Volume
Tempo
Rest
Frequency
Every one of these variables serves a purpose. You can’t write “3x10” without understanding the why behind it.
A few examples:
Hypertrophy → 4x8 Back Squat @ 3010 tempo, 90s rest
Aerobic Base → MAP 9, 30 mins cyclical work at HR 130–150, 3x/week
Motor Control → Goblet Split Squat, 3x10 @ 3111 tempo
It’s not about intensity for intensity’s sake. It’s about the signal you’re sending to the system.
3. Match to Training Age and Lifestyle
Adaptation is contextual.
Beginners need motor control, structural balance, and aerobic foundation.
Intermediates can begin layering strength and hypertrophy with more intensity.
Advanced clients can handle more stress—but should revisit beginner foundations regularly.
In short: More advanced doesn’t always mean more intense. Often, it means more refined.
From Fatigue to Function
Let’s make this clear:
Fatigue ≠ stimulus.
A workout that leaves someone exhausted doesn’t mean it was effective. What matters is whether the session moved them closer to the adaptation you identified.
This is why tools like tempo and rest intervals are just as important as sets and reps. They determine the quality of the work, not just the quantity.
The Coach’s Checklist
Here are 3 questions to ask as you program:
What’s the primary adaptation this client needs right now?
Does every piece of this program align with that goal?
Can they recover and progress this next week?
If the answer to any of those is unclear, go back to the stimulus.
Closing Thoughts
The difference between a workout and a program?
A workout is random.
A program is designed.
When you coach with clarity and prescribe with purpose, your clients don’t just train… they adapt. And when they adapt, they stay.
That’s the work.
That’s the framework.
Listen to Episode 13 Now
▶️ Watch on YouTube
🎧 Listen on Spotify
📖 Catch up on past episodes + blog recaps
Have questions? DM Carl on Instagram @hardwickcarl
Frameworks is part of the CoachRx Podcast Network, your hub for principled, purpose-driven coaching conversations.
For more shows, visit: coachrx.app/podcast-network
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