Large Group

Programming
Guide
The Six Movement Method

for Designing Effective and Efficient

Large Group Training Programs
Pat Basil
 Introduction
I'm Pat Basil, your guide on this exciting journey to
revolutionizing your approach to Strength and
Conditioning (S&C). 

As a Head Strength & Conditioning Coach with

years of experience in the field, I've had the
privilege of training athletes at all levels, helping
them unlock their true potential and excel in their
respective sports.

Over the years, I've encountered the challenges that many small school coaches face:

Time constraints, limited equipment, managing large groups, and still ensuring each
athlete gets the attention they need to improve—it's a balancing act. 

And I've often asked myself, "How can I train more effectively within these limitations?"

This question led me to develop a system—one that transforms these challenges into
opportunities. 

This is not just any system.

It's a strategy that will make you a confident and competent S&C coach, capable of
optimizing the potential of every athlete you work with.

Welcome to the world of Full Body Tri-Sets Program.

“Wait… What Is A Full Body Tri-Set Program?”

A Tri-Set is three exercises done back to back to back.

Two tri-sets (6 exercises total) is my most common prescription.

Who Is This Guide For?

Small School Coaches who do NOT have a background in Strength & Conditioning that
need to create their own training program for large groups with limited time, equipment,
and resources

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What You’ll Learn

Basic program design concepts and core principles

Why Tri-Sets are the single best way to program for this situation

How to build your own Tri-Set program fit to your athletes and logistics using
my Six Movement Method

My Goal

This guide is the fruit of my experiences and innovations. It’s designed to provide you
with a comprehensive guide to the Tri-Set method—a total body training approach that
fits perfectly within the constraints of a small school setting.

My goal is to share the power of this method, showing you how to maximize equipment
availability, build-in recovery and work capacity, and streamline your coaching process.

What’s Next?

Prepare for a transformative journey that will change how you view S&C training. Whether
you're new to the S&C field or an experienced coach looking for fresh approaches, this
ebook is here to help you level up your training program, delivering optimal results for
your athletes and turning them into champions.

Let's get started, shall we?

Pat Basil.

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What Makes A Good Program

A good program is one that gives the athlete the training stimulus they need with the

appropriate tools for the job that fit their needs and limitations.

The main obstacle at the small school level is that 90% of programming is dictated by

your logistics. Here are some considerations:

Time Space Equipment Number of bodies

and coaches

Time

You probably don’t have two hours to train. 

That’s ok because you don’t need nearly that much.

An efficient program that fits your logistics should take about 35-45 minutes per session

at most. 

Using my Tri-Set method, most of my teams were in and out of the weight room in 35-40

minutes. Not because we aimed to do less, but because the session flowed so well

around the room all wasted time was eliminated.

Space

You probably don’t have 10,000 square feet. 

You have to use exercises and variations that realistically flow in the space. 

The size and nature of the space (whether indoor or outdoor, gym or home) can

significantly affect the types of exercises that can be included in the program.

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For example, certain movements like barbell snatches or box jumps require more space
than others. Good programming adapts to the spatial constraints without compromising
the effectiveness of the workout.
Equipment
A good program should be designed around the available equipment.

You’ll need to maximize what you have. 

For example, if you have 40 kids and only 6 racks, you’ll need to keep the other 34 bodies
occupied while the 6 racks are in use. 

Tri-Sets provide that.

Number of Bodies and Coaches
The size of the group being trained and the number of available coaches will also dictate
the programming. 

A larger group might mean opting for exercises that require less personalized coaching
or equipment. 

If there's only one coach available, the programming should allow the coach to efficiently
manage the group without compromising the quality of instruction or safety.

These are all at a premium in the small school setting. 

I’ve found that total body training done in a tri-set structure is the best way to make
training fit these limitations.

So let me give you 8 reasons why Total Body Tri-Sets might be the best choice for you.

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Why Total Body

Tri-Sets Programs?

1 Maximizes equipment availability and

traffic flow around the room flow.

If you have 30 kids, but only three racks, you’re going to have a lot of
standing around.

If you have two other exercises for them to do, only ⅓ of the group needs to
be on any one piece of equipment at any one time.

Instead of 30 kids and 10 racks, you have 10 kids on 10 racks.

2 Built-in recovery.

With a Tri-Set of 3 non-competing exercises that don’t impact each other,

while one muscle is trained, the others are recovering.

They can still get work done without standing or sitting waiting for the next
set. 

For example, If I program Front Squats and Rows, my legs recover f rom the
last set of Squats while my upper back is being trained with the Rows.

3 Built-in Work Capacity.

Think of Work Capacity as lift-specific conditioning. 

For those with low Work Capacity, training is going to be much more tiring
and will take longer to complete then recover f rom.

High Work Capacity allows them to train at a faster pace, recover between
sets better, handle more training load, and recover f rom each training
session sooner. 

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 With total-body training, you’re taxing the entire body every workout. Couple
that with the pace of the Tri-Set flow and Work Capacity is trained
automatically. They’ll adapt to the pace in a few weeks.

4 Easier coaching.
One major exercise that needs attention (Squat) done with two others that
need less attention allows you to focus more of your time and attention on
coaching and teaching the major movement. 

For example, if I have a Tri-Set of Front Squat (major movement), Band Pull
Aparts (Minor), and Side Plank (minor), I can spend most of my time
coaching the Front Squat reps. 

This also mitigates you having to herd cattle and get them to stop sitting
around.

5 Sport is a total body activity.

It makes sense to prepare the body to do what you’ll ask it to do on the field.

6 Mitigates soreness and overtraining

With a total body design, no one body area gets too much volume on any
one day.

This makes it much easier to recover from and mitigates lingering soreness.

7 Missed training happens.

Kids get sick, coaches cancel lifts, games get scheduled on lift days, etc.

If we check all of our boxes on each day, we can afford to miss a training day.

On a Lower/Upper split, there’s an increased risk that any one day gets
canceled multiple weeks in a row.

Before you know it, they haven't done any lower body training in two weeks.

Not good.

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8 Saves time
All the above also shave minutes off each training session.

Our workouts last 45 minutes at most

They usually fall in the 35-38 minute range including a 5-7 minute warm up.

If they’re coming from activity and don’t need to warm up, we’re usually
done in about 30 minutes or less.

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The Six Movement Method Primer

Now let’s talk about using the Six Movement Method to design the program using the

total body tri-set structure.

The "Six Movement Method” is a system to build out a day and week of total body

training. 

With it, we program by movement category.

And it’s the easiest way to make sure all your major movement get checked and trained. 

Here are the 6 movement categories that need to be checked in each workout:

1 Lower Body Anterior (Front Half)

2 Lower Body Posterior (Back Half)

3 Upper Body Anterior (Front Half)

4 Upper Body Posterior (Back Half)

5 Explosive Exercise (Jump or Throw)

6 Core/Trunk Exercise

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1 Lower Body Anterior (Front Half)
This refers to exercises that primarily engage the front part of the lower body.

I.e. Quad-dominant exercises like Squats, lunges, and step-ups. I also plug
Trap Bar Deadlifts in this box.

2 Lower Body Posterior (Back Half)

These exercises work the muscles on the backside of the lower body such as
the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. 

Deadlifts, hamstring curls, and glute bridges are examples of exercises that
fit into this category.

3 Upper Body Anterior (Front Half)

Exercises in this category target the muscles on the front of the upper body. 

These are your Pressing Movements like Bench Press variations, Push-ups,
and overhead presses.

4 Upper Body Posterior (Back Half)

This box includes exercises that strengthen the back side of the upper body,
primarily the lats traps, rhomboids, and upper back. 

These are you Pulling Movements like Chin Ups, Rows, Face Pulls, Shrugs,
etc.

5 Explosive Exercise (Jump or Throw)

This category comprises exercises designed to build explosive power. 

This is the Jump or Throw (or both) you have planned for the day.

Box jumps, squat jumps, and medicine ball slams, are examples.

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6 Core/Trunk Exercise
These exercises are designed to strengthen the muscles of the core or trunk,
which include the abdominals, obliques, and lower back. 

Core stability is crucial for balance, power transfer, and injury prevention in
many sports. 

When designing a full-body tri-set, you aim to check all these boxes,
selecting one exercise from each group.

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How To Build Your Programs
With The Six Movement Method
The first Tri-Set should include

In the first tri-set, you'd generally include the main lift of the day, an explosive exercise,
and a core or assistance exercise. Why? Because these require the greatest effort, output,
and detail. It's best to do these first while you’re freshest to maximize these.

1 The main lift of the day

2 An explosive (jump or throw)

3 An assistance or core exercise that won’t impact the others

The second Tri-Set should include:

The second tri-set could include a secondary lift or an assistance exercise, and two other
exercises that do not impact the others.

1 The secondary major lift of the day, or assistance exercise

2 An assistance or core exercise that won’t impact the others

3 An assistance or core exercise that won’t impact the others

The order the exercises are completed in each tri-set doesn’t matter. They’ll be non-
competing exercises of different muscle groups, so they won’t negatively impact the
other two. It’s not realistic or worth the hassle to direct them where to start and maintain
a strict traffic flow.



My cue was to get all the sets on the Tri-Set done in whatever order the equipment came
available in. Start with any of the three exercises, then get it all done. 

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Example Training Program
For example, a training session could look like this:

First Tri-Set:

1 Front Squat (main lift, 3 sets of 5 reps)

2 Box Jump (explosive, 3 sets of 5 reps)

3 Side Plank (core, 3 sets of 30-second holds)

Second Tri-Set:

1 Bench Press (second major lift, 3 sets of 5 reps)

2 Floor Slider Leg Curl (assistance, 3 sets of 10 reps)

3 Dumbbell Row (assistance, 3 sets of 10 reps)

This is a balanced approach to volume distribution with the Six Movement Method, and
allows you to incorporate strength, power, and hypertrophy into a single session. 

Remember, this is just an example, and your sets and reps should be tailored to the
individual capabilities and goals of the athletes you're training.

Please note, warm-up sets for major lifts will also be included in the total sets. This means,
for the Front Squat and Bench Press in the example above, you might do 2-3 warm up set
before the three prescribed work sets.

Also, keep in mind that volume, sets, and reps should be gradually increased over time as
your athletes adapt to the training program. This is a concept known as progressive
overload, which is critical for continued improvement and preventing plateaus in training.

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Volume, Sets, and Reps
Your kids will do 15-25 total sets across 6 exercises is plenty for developing athletes.

This includes warm up sets on the major lifts. 

3 training days per week is ideal for most developing athletes.

I haven’t noticed a significant difference between those who do 3 or 4 days per week.

A decent chunk of our teams only did 2x per week and made great progress even doing
that much.

3x/Week Total Body Tri-Set Example

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Next Steps

Now that you're familiar with the Six Movement Method, it's time to incorporate it into

your training routine. Follow these simple action steps to get started:

Review the Guide:

1
Go through this guide again and familiarize yourself with the key concepts.

Make sure you understand the Six Movement Method thoroughly.

Plan Your Workouts:

2
Based on the principles outlined in this ebook, start planning your new

workouts. Remember to include all six movements in your training sessions.

Implement Gradually:

3
Begin incorporating the Tri-Sets method into your training sessions

gradually. It's about progress, not perfection.

Monitor Progress:

4
Keep track of how your athletes are adapting to the new training structure.

Make necessary adjustments based on their feedback and performance.

Stay Consistent:

5
Consistency is key. Stick to the program and trust the process. The

improvements will come with time.

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 Seek Additional Resources:
6 Explore my other resources for more in-depth strategies and tips. Whether
it's my Programing Fundamentals Guide or any other of my resources,
they’re designed to support you on your coaching journey.

Join the Community:

7 Visit my website and follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

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Conclusion
As we wrap up this guide, I hope you've gained valuable insights and practical tools to
revolutionize your approach to Strength and Conditioning (S&C) training with the Six
Movement Method.

This method goes beyond mere physical training.

It prepares athletes for the dynamics of their sports and life, boosts their work capacity,
and promotes recovery and resilience.

Implementing this method will require adaptation, but the benefits — increased
efficiency, maximized equipment usage, improved work capacity, and streamlined
coaching — will make it worth your while.

As coaches, we have a unique role in shaping young athletes, and with the Six Movement
Method, we can fulfill this role more effectively.

I'm eager to hear about your journey with this method and the victories you'll achieve
with your athletes.

Thank you for joining me in this exploration, and here's to becoming more confident,
competent, and committed coaches.

Best,

Pat Basil.