Are You an Exercise Chef or a Recipe Follower?

Michael Goulden

Last updated: 

2 Dec 2024

3 min. read

Following a recipe is comforting. The measurements are precise, the steps are clear, and the outcome is reliable. But what happens when you’re left to create a meal from whatever’s in the fridge? For me, the results are hit-or-miss. For Jamie Oliver, it’s extraordinary.

That’s the difference between a cook and a chef:

• One relies on instructions
• The other masters the principles behind them

As an exercise professional, which one are you?

The Comfort of Recipes

It’s tempting to rely on pre-written protocols and established programmes. They provide structure, consistency, and a sense of security. After all, if a respected expert created the programme, it must work… right?

But here’s the challenge: human bodies aren’t standardised ingredients.

Consider the variables that make each client unique:

• Individual structural differences
• Movement history and patterns
• Current capabilities and limitations
• Recovery capacity
• Goals and preferences

Following someone else’s ‘recipe’ might work occasionally, but what happens when:

• The protocol doesn’t produce results?
• Your client can’t perform the prescribed movement?
• Progress stalls despite perfect adherence?
• The ‘proven’ programme causes discomfort?

These moments reveal the limitations of recipes and highlight the need for deeper understanding.

Beyond the Recipe Book

Take a common ‘recipe’ in our industry: ‘Squats are essential for quad development.’

Sounds reasonable, right? But a chef would ask:

• What creates quad activation in a squat?
• How do individual body proportions affect the movement?
• What determines whether the quads are actually being challenged?

The science reveals it’s not so simple. A 2003 study by Fry et al., ‘Effect of Knee Position on Hip and Knee Torques During the Barbell Squat,’ found that knee position significantly affects torque distribution—meaning the same exercise can create vastly different stimuli for different people.

The Ingredients Matter

Consider these structural variables that influence a squat:

• Tibia and femur length ratios
• Ankle mobility range
• Hip socket depth and orientation
• Torso length
• Overall mobility patterns

A client with long femurs and limited ankle mobility will experience the squat very differently from someone with different proportions. The ‘recipe’ might say squat, but the chef understands when that recipe needs modification—or replacement.

The Choice: Cook or Chef?

Being a ‘chef’ in exercise programming means:

• Understanding the fundamental principles of movement
• Recognising individual structural variations
• Knowing how to modify exercises based on client response
• Creating programmes based on evidence, not just tradition
• Continuously assessing and adjusting based on results

It’s more challenging than following recipes. As Barry Schwartz discusses in ’The Paradox of Choice,’ having more options can feel overwhelming. Following a pre-made programme is easier than making countless decisions about exercise selection, loading, progression, and modification.

But your clients aren’t paying for a recipe follower. They’re investing in your expertise to create programmes that meet their unique needs.

The Professional’s Path

You don’t need to abandon proven protocols entirely. Even master chefs occasionally reference recipes. The key is understanding the principles behind them:

• Why does this exercise work?
• What creates the training stimulus?
• How can it be modified for different bodies?
• When should it be replaced entirely?

This deeper understanding allows you to:

• Create truly personalised programmes
• Solve movement challenges creatively
• Adapt quickly when standard approaches fail
• Deliver consistent results across diverse clients

Your Professional Choice

I’ve chosen to be a chef in exercise programming. It requires more study, thought, and creativity than following recipes. But it also leads to better results and more satisfied clients.

The question isn’t whether you can follow a programme—it’s whether you understand how to create one that truly serves your client’s needs.

What kind of exercise professional do you want to be?