Unfiltered Roundtable: Cody & Luka Talk Program Design, Performance, and What Actually Works
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Great coaching lives in the details.
Program design, GPP, nutrition adherence, and hybrid training models aren’t trends — they’re fundamentals that separate average coaches from elite ones.
Aesthetics and performance don’t have to compete.
With smart programming and clear strategy, you can help clients look good, feel strong, and perform at a high level at the same time.Results come from adherence, not perfection.
The best plan only works if someone can stick to it — which means flexible dieting, behavior coaching, and real-life compliance matter most.
Every once in a while, I record an episode that feels less like a podcast… and more like two coaches sitting in a gym office talking shop.
No fluff.
No hype.
Just real coaching conversation.
This is one of those episodes.
In this special Q&A roundtable, I sat down with my longtime mentor, friend, and repeat guest Luka Hocevar to answer listener questions and dig deep into the stuff that actually matters in coaching.
Not hacks.
Not trends.
Not what’s popular on Instagram.
But the nuts and bolts of:
program design
GPP (general physical preparedness)
bridging aesthetics and performance
hybrid training
nutrition compliance
flexible dieting
and how to coach real humans with real lives
If you’re a coach, aspiring coach, or someone who wants to understand how great results are actually built, this conversation is for YOU.
View Cody & Luka’s full Q&A Episode here:
Who Is Luka Hocevar?
If you’ve followed the show recently, you’ve heard Luka’s name a lot — and for good reason.
Luka is the founder of Vigor Ground Fitness & Performance, a gym owner, strength coach, and mentor who has helped shape hundreds of coaches across the industry. He’s been coaching for over two decades and has built a reputation for blending performance training, behavior change, and leadership development into one cohesive system.
But for me, it’s more personal.
Luka was my first mentor when I was 18 years old.
He taught me how to coach.
How to think critically.
How to communicate.
How to LEAD.
So these conversations aren’t just collaborations — they’re two coaches reconnecting over the craft we both obsess over.
Why We Love These “Talk Shop” Episodes
There’s something powerful about long-form coaching conversations.
Because when you strip away marketing and trends, coaching really comes down to one thing:
Solving problems for people.
How do we:
design better programs?
help people stay consistent?
improve strength and conditioning safely?
balance performance and aesthetics?
teach nutrition without creating obsession?
That’s what this episode is — a deep dive into the realities of coaching, not the highlight reel.
And honestly, these are the conversations most coaches wish they had more often.
Program Design Still Wins
One of the biggest themes of this Q&A was something both Luka and I preach constantly:
Program design matters more than novelty.
There’s always a new method, a new split, a new system floating around.
But the fundamentals haven’t changed:
progressive overload
appropriate volume
intelligent recovery
clear structure
movement quality
and matching the program to the person
A flashy plan doesn’t create results.
A thoughtful one does.
We talked a lot about how young coaches often chase complexity when they’d get better outcomes simply mastering the basics.
Simply done WELL beats complicated done poorly — every time.
Why GPP Changes Everything
Another big topic was GPP (General Physical Preparedness) — something many lifters ignore until it’s too late.
GPP is what keeps people:
resilient
athletic
conditioned
pain-free
and capable outside the gym
Too many people train only for aesthetics or only for strength and forget about their overall capacity.
The result?
They look fit… but are gassed after climbing the stairs.
They’re strong… but always dealing with an injury.
They train hard… but burn out fast.
GPP fills that gap.
It’s the foundation that allows everything else to work better.
If you want longevity in training, you can’t skip it.
The Truth About Aesthetics vs. Performance
There’s this weird divide in the fitness world:
You either train to look good OR you train to perform well.
But that’s a false choice.
In this episode, Luka and I talked about how the best programs blend both.
Because most people don’t just want abs or a bigger squat.
They want:
confidence
strength
energy
capability
and a body they feel proud of
You don’t need to pick one lane.
With smart programming, you can build muscle, get leaner, and improve performance at the same time.
That’s what we call hybrid coaching — and it’s becoming the gold standard for real-life clients.
Why Adherence Beats Everything
If there was one topic we kept coming back to, it was this:
The best plan means nothing if someone can’t stick to it.
You can design the most perfect macro split, the most scientific program, the most optimal setup…
…but if your client can’t follow it consistently?
It’s useless.
That’s where behavior coaching comes in.
We talked a lot about:
flexible dieting
simplifying nutrition
removing all-or-nothing thinking
meeting clients where they are
creating sustainable habits
and coaching psychology, not just numbers
Because adherence > perfection.
Every time.
Coaching Is a Skill — Not Just Knowledge
Another theme that kept popping up is something I wish more coaches understood:
Coaching isn’t about knowing more.
It’s about communicating better.
It’s about:
empathy
listening
problem solving
adapting
reading people
building trust
You can know everything about physiology and still be a terrible coach.
The human side is what makes the difference.
That’s something Luka drilled into me years ago — and it’s still true today.
Why These Conversations Matter
The fitness industry moves fast.
Everyone wants shortcuts.
Everyone wants hacks.
Everyone wants the “secret.”
But there isn’t one.
There’s just:
consistency
fundamentals
skill
patience
and reps
Lots of reps.
That’s what this episode is really about.
Not doing more.
Doing the basics better.
Final Thoughts: Master the Craft
This Q&A reminded me why Luka and I love coaching so much.
Because at the end of the day, this work changes lives.
Not because of trends or tricks.
But because of thoughtful, intentional, high-quality coaching.
If you’re a coach — master the craft.
If you’re looking for a coach — look for fundamentals, not flash.
If you’re training yourself — focus on consistency, not complexity.
That’s the Choose Hard way.
And that’s what this episode is all about.
Watch the full episode here: