Why training gen pop is 80% bodybuilding and 20% performance

(Unless they’re training for sport — and most aren’t)

Let’s get controversial for a moment.

If your client isn’t an athlete and isn’t working toward a competition or event, they’re not training like an athlete.

They shouldn’t be.

In fact, most general population clients are far more like bodybuilders — not in lifestyle, not in diet, but in how they should train to stay engaged, see results, and stick around.

“I Just Want to Move Better” Isn’t the Whole Story

Yes, clients say they want to feel better. To get stronger. To improve their posture. To lift their kids without groaning.

But ask those same people:

“Would you rather get stronger and not look stronger… or look stronger and not be that much stronger?”

You already know their answer.Most choose “look stronger.”Because most people don’t care about the bar weight.You do.

They want to see progress in the mirror, in how their clothes fit, in how other people notice. That’s not vanity — it’s feedback. And it’s real.

Train Them Like a Lazy Athlete? You’ll Lose Them.

Treating Gen Pop like undertrained athletes:

• Overemphasizes function over feel

• Ignores visual progress

• Underestimates what motivates them to show up

On the flip side, treating them like clients who want to build their bodies — improve muscle tone, posture, shape, and confidence — makes way more sense.

Because their “game day” isn’t game day.Their game is showing up.Their win is looking and feeling better.

Yes, Activities of Daily Living Matter — But They’re Not Enough

Improving ADLs (activities of daily living) is important. But that baseline is low.If someone can reach the ground without a groan, cool — check.Then what?

If there’s no next step, no next look, they plateau mentally long before they plateau physically.

Visual changes come earlier than strength PRs.Visual changes keep people coming.Visual changes buy you the time to educate them on performance, movement literacy, and training beyond aesthetics.

So What Does This Actually Mean for Programming?

I’m not saying you turn every session into a bro split. I’m saying:

• 80% of the program should focus on hypertrophy, muscle awareness, posture, symmetry, and “looking strong”

• 20% can be geared toward functional capacity or performance markers

This doesn’t mean:

• Chicken and broccoli meal plans

• Mirror-chasing ego lifts

• Or skipping compound lifts entirely

It means understanding the psychology of your client and programming in a way that builds their body in ways they can see — and feel proud of.

And No, “Functional” Doesn’t Always Mean Useful

Olympic lifting, single-leg overhead kettlebell circus acts, and rehab-lite “activation” sessions aren’t the answer for most Gen Pop clients — unless they:

• Specifically ask for them

• Have the time to train long and often

• Or are aiming for a sport or technical skill outcome

You’ll lose your client long before they nail the snatch.Especially if they’re working around a full-time job, kids, and a 42-minute gym window.

Word to the Wise: Your Client Is Not You

You like exercise. You might love it.You’re likely genetically responsive to training. That’s why you’re here.

They’re not you.

If they don’t feel successful — especially early — they’ll quit.If their body isn’t changing in a way they can recognize, they’ll drift.And if they’re constantly told they’ll eventually look stronger, but all they feel is sore? You’ve lost them.

Let’s Meet Them Where They Are — And Keep Them Around

Train the body and the brain.Give them visible change and meaningful challenge.Use progressive overload and isolation work.Blend smart compound lifts with targeted accessory exercises that teach them to feel their muscles.

This isn’t about vanity — it’s about agency.

If this made you sweat (or triggered you a little), you’re not alone.

This conversation has been stirring up a lot of engagement, and I’m putting together resources to help trainers create balanced, real-world programs that deliver:

• Aesthetic changes

• Real strength

• And client loyalty

If you’re interested, jump on the waitlist. We’re building something that works in the actual gym world, not just in textbooks.

Let’s stop losing Gen Pop clients to boredom, confusion, or unmet expectations.

Let’s train them like they want — and need — to be trained.