047 How to write the perfect program

047 How to write the perfect program

From Hypertrophy Past and Present by Chris Beardsley and Jake Doleschal

April 13, 2026 · 1h 32m · Episode 56

About this episode

The episode explores the concept of the perfect workout and provides a framework for structuring training programs based on individual goals and priorities.

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present , Jake and Chris break down what the “perfect” workout actually looks like. The episode begins with a deep dive into a pre-steroid era full body program from Arthur Jones, before expanding into a framework for structuring training based on your goals, time, and priorities. Key topics include: • An analysis of Arthur Jones’ early full body program • A framework for building programs: bare minimum, minimalist, and maximalist • The difference between minimalist and “consolidated” training approaches • How to adjust a program based on which muscles you do or don’t care about • A common mistake science based lifters make: over-optimising one variable while ignoring others

People in this episode

Hosts: Jake Doleschal, Chris Beardsley

Topics covered

  • program design
  • training frameworks
  • full body workouts
  • muscle prioritization
  • training approaches

Keywords

  • workout program
  • hypertrophy
  • training goals
  • minimalist training
  • consolidated training

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