I've spent a few weeks re-reading the Built Strong Manual and grinding through the process of developing a spreadsheet in Google Sheets. It really helped me understand the program and the necessary steps to develop a cycle. I have not yet done the program but am going to design a BTS 3 plan for myself and my husband to start in December.
I'm not an expert in spreadsheets but am a CPA so I have some practical experience. When it comes to designing a Built Strong program the spreadsheet will only get you so far. You still need to do some rounding to get the number of lifts right and you'll need to tweak your monthly volumes across the intensity zones in order to get the correct ARI. This becomes even more important when you combine mesocycles for a 2-4 month macrocycle. You will not be able to input a RM for a given lift along with a few other inputs and have the sheet spit a program out for you.
What a spreadsheet will do is help with the multiple easy math calculations and keep you organized. I will most likely still write out the rep ladders by hand after the spreadsheet helps me with the weekly volumes across the intensity zones.
I reached out to Fabio Zonin and he was ok with me sharing the process of creating a spreadsheet. There are some handy tricks (dropdown menus and linking a table with variants so that the correct percentages will populate. Over the next couple weeks I'll post the steps I took.
To get started you'll need a basic template. I've attached screen shots of the volume variant table and basic worksheet. I used Google Sheets but I'm sure Excel or Open Office will work. Start with this and I'll post the next steps later in the week. Don't get too hung up on formatting once the formulas are built you can get as crazy as you want with making it pretty. If you have great spreadsheet skills and want to add to the conversation please feel free.
If you have not reviewed the manual please do that first.
I'm not an expert in spreadsheets but am a CPA so I have some practical experience. When it comes to designing a Built Strong program the spreadsheet will only get you so far. You still need to do some rounding to get the number of lifts right and you'll need to tweak your monthly volumes across the intensity zones in order to get the correct ARI. This becomes even more important when you combine mesocycles for a 2-4 month macrocycle. You will not be able to input a RM for a given lift along with a few other inputs and have the sheet spit a program out for you.
What a spreadsheet will do is help with the multiple easy math calculations and keep you organized. I will most likely still write out the rep ladders by hand after the spreadsheet helps me with the weekly volumes across the intensity zones.
I reached out to Fabio Zonin and he was ok with me sharing the process of creating a spreadsheet. There are some handy tricks (dropdown menus and linking a table with variants so that the correct percentages will populate. Over the next couple weeks I'll post the steps I took.
To get started you'll need a basic template. I've attached screen shots of the volume variant table and basic worksheet. I used Google Sheets but I'm sure Excel or Open Office will work. Start with this and I'll post the next steps later in the week. Don't get too hung up on formatting once the formulas are built you can get as crazy as you want with making it pretty. If you have great spreadsheet skills and want to add to the conversation please feel free.
If you have not reviewed the manual please do that first.
