Judd Lienhard’s 5-Step System to Build Smarter, More Effective Workouts

Key wellness / training strategies from the video (Judd Lienhard’s 5-step system)

1) Slow (5–10 minutes) — prep tissues + mobility with control

• Move slowly to gradually improve range of motion and speed within the same warm-up window.
• Find pain/limitations: work into a target position until you feel tightness/pain, then:
  • Hold the joint angle causing symptoms for 30–45 seconds
  • If pain worsens → adjust training for the day
  • If pain improves and range opens → explore a deeper range gradually
• Cover key movement needs:
  • 7 basic movement patterns (e.g., push, hinge, lunge, rows—horizontal/vertical)
  • Hip & rotation preparation:
    • abduction / adduction
    • internal / external rotation (especially emphasized for the lower body before workouts)
  • Spinal rotation + flexion/extension (sagittal and frontal ideas), including:
    • anti-rotation/anti-flexion drills early
    • then slow “coiling” / flexion patterns

Example method (band-based)

• Use a thick band anchored above/behind; place it in the armpit
• Perform a very slow cross-pattern lunge to “scrub” through the joint’s range
• Add torso rotation by pulling the band across the body
• Optionally combine into hamstring/calf prep from the same stance

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2) Flow (5–10 minutes, up to ~15) — prep the nervous system

• Purpose: practice movement patterns at slightly faster speeds without exhausting yourself.
• Movements should be:
  • Ground-based
  • Multi-joint
  • Blended sequences (smoothly connect movements)
• Intensity goal:
  • You may break a light sweat
  • It should not feel like hard exertion yet

Include impact/motor-prep if relevant (especially for runners/jumpers)

• Jump rope, skipping, pogo hops, etc.

Pogo hops cueing (impact mechanics / nervous system firing)

• Jump using elasticity/tension, not muscle power
• Keep toes mostly up (dorsiflexion bias) to keep tibialis anterior tension
• Slight knee bend; maintain tight ankle/knee tension
• Hands near midline; progress to multi-directional variations

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3) Go (20–40 minutes into session overall; segment itself follows) — athletic ability + power

• Goal: build balance, coordination, proprioception, and power expression.
• Choose movements that are:
  • Bodyweight or light enough to move quickly
  • Challenging, but not to exhaustion
  • You should feel fatigued, but still have more in the tank

Use five elements as selection criteria (ensure at least one is present)

• Cross-pattern (opposite sides doing different actions; tension transfers across midline)
• Unilateral (one side at a time; frontal-plane stability)
• Multi-vector / multi-planar (not only sagittal; add frontal/transverse demands)
• Open system (throwing/landing/catching—exchanging energy and mass with the environment)
• (Implied logic: pick drills that match these athletic categories)

Example given

• Jump-up / step-up power with a switch of feet at the top
  • open system + unilateral + cross-pattern qualities
• Emphasis on keeping knee/hip alignment to maintain coordination and balance

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4) Grow (strength; ~20 minutes for older athletes) — heavy but stabilized

• Purpose: develop strength and strength capacity (not just aesthetics).
• Typical features:
  • Stable, multi-joint movements, preferably ground-based
  • Moderately/heavily loaded and intense

Machines vs free weights

• Free weights are fine/preferred, but machines work if stabilization lets you generate force effectively.

Time allocation philosophy

• For older athletes, spend less total time on Grow because Slow/Flow/Go become more important.
• Younger athletes may allocate more time to Go/Grow depending on sport readiness.

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5) Show (5–20 minutes) — isolation / hypertrophy

• Purpose: build specific muscles (aesthetic goals), generally via single-joint or hypertrophy-focused training.

Why isolate

• Compound lifts build overall strength and system-wide benefits, but may be less effective for growing individual muscles.
• If muscles are lagging in size/appearance or need support for athleticism, prioritize Show.

Examples

• Nordic leg curls (hamstring-focused; high tension)
• Hamstring alternatives: seated/standing leg curls, Roman chair back extensions
• Other Show options mentioned: dumbbell curls, leg extensions, lateral raises

Timing cue

• Keep it simpler and more controlled since you’re already fatigued
• Avoid complicated ballistic work when tired

Reps/approach example

• Nordic leg curls described around 6–7 reps, with fatigue already present

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Presenter / source(s)

• Joe (Judd) Linhard / Judd Lienhard — speed and performance coach; presenter of the 5-step workout system