Applying Constraints: How to Make Exercises Actually Work

Designing programs isn’t about choosing the “right” exercise — it’s about ensuring the exercise actually creates the adaptation you want. In this episode, we break down the concept of applying constraints and why simply assigning movements without controlling compensations often leads to missed outcomes, energy leaks, and frustration for both coaches and clients.

Using a real coaching-floor example, we walk through how constraints can be layered intelligently: from positional cues, to tactile blocks, to changing implements and load placement. You’ll hear how one simple sidelying pullover turned ineffective movement into a targeted shoulder stimulus by systematically removing the client’s ability to compensate.

This conversation is a practical framework for coaches who want cleaner execution, better client feedback, and more predictable results — whether you’re coaching in person or remotely. If you’ve ever wondered why an exercise “should work” but doesn’t, this episode gives you the lens to fix it.