The Adaptive Athlete

Perform Strength & Conditioning

Strength & Conditioning, Functional Fitness, Tactical, First Responders

Coach

Ian Schnarr

The Adaptive Athlete is built for adults who still want to train hard - but need a system that works with real life. Most training programs assume perfect recovery: great sleep, low stress, and unlimited time to train. But for adults balancing careers, families, travel, and unpredictable schedules, that approach often leads to burnout, stalled progress, or constant fatigue.

The Adaptive Athlete program solves that problem by combining the proven high-low training philosophy popularized by sprint coach Charlie Francis with a simple daily readiness system. Your training week alternates between high performance days and lower-stress recovery days, allowing you to push hard while still recovering properly. On high days, you quickly assess your readiness and adjust intensity using the Green/Yellow/Red system, ensuring your training matches the stress your body can actually handle that day.

The result is a smarter way to train:

Lift heavy and build real strength
Maintain athleticism and conditionin
Avoid burnout from stacking too many hard days
Continue progressing for months and years - not just a few intense weeks

This program is ideal for driven adults who enjoy lifting, conditioning, and training like athletes, but who also recognize that long-term performance requires balancing training stress with recovery.

If you want to keep pushing your physical performance while staying resilient, energized and consistent, The Adaptive Athlete system provides the structure to do exactly that.

$39 / mo

Get The Adaptive Athlete

Athleticism

Stay explosive, powerful, and capable. Adaptive Athlete includes jumps, throws, sprint work, and dynamic strength exercises that help maintain speed, coordination, and power. Instead of training like a bodybuilder or just chasing fatigue, the program develops well-rounded athletic ability that carries over to sport, recreation, and everyday performance.

Strength

Strength is the foundation of all movement - It's what makes you faster, more explosive, and more resilient. It enhances power, improves mobility, and protects against injury, whether you're an athlete battling on the ice or a parent lifting your kids without pain. True strength isn't just about lifting heavier - it's about moving better, faster, and showing up at your best when it matters most.

Conditioning

Conditioning isn't just about endurance - it's about sustaining power, speed and performance when it matters most. Aerobic capacity fuels recovery and keeps you going longer, while anaerobic capacity drives explosive movements and high-intensity efforts. Our training programs focus on building both, to ensure you perform at your best!

Recovery

Recovery is built into the structure of the program, not treated as an afterthought. By alternating high-performance days with lower-intensity recovery days, the Adaptive Athlete model helps you manage fatigue, support the nervous system, and keep you progressing long term. The goal isn't just to train hard - it's to recover well enough to keep performing week after week.

Accessibility

Elite performance doesn't require elite equipment - just the right plan and the right effort. Our training programs are designed to be accessible and effective with a basic gym setup: rack, barbell, bumper plates, dumbbells, TRX, bands, slam balls & battle ropes. If you have access to more, great - not required. With smart programming & intensity, you'll build strength, power & endurance anywhere.

Features

Access to your coaches

Coaches who will hold you accountable and provide the feedback you need to grow

Programming 6 days per week

Daily athletic, strength, conditioning, and movement tasks that’s accessible and challenging for athletes of any level or background

Exercise Video Guidance

Instructional videos to guide your training and make execution easy

Detailed, expert instruction

Coaches who will hold you accountable and provide the feedback you need to grow

Committed Teammates

A vibrant community that will keep you pushing to unlock your best

Delivered through TrainHeroic

Straight to your mobile device for easy access.

Equipment

Required

Barbell // Rack // Bumper Plates // Dumbbells/Kettlebells // TRX/Rings // Strength Bands // Slam Ball // Battle Ropes // Assault Bike/Rower/Spin Bike

Sample Week

I will write fresh programming weekly. You’ll get notifications when they’re ready

Sunday

YELLOW High Day - Lower Body Power + Sprint Conditioning

Warmup

1 minute/side Banded Hip Flexor Stretch 10/side Child's Pose + Side to Side 10 Cat Camel 10/side Knee to Wall Ankle Mobility

Med Ball Rotational Throw

3 x 4

Rotational Ball Slams

3 x 4

Trapbar Deadlift

4, 4, 3, 3

DB Walking Lunge

3 x 6

Slider/Towel Bodysaw

3 x 8

Sprint Intervals

RPE 8 6-8 sets: 8 seconds hard, 45 seconds light recovery Choose your piece of equipment.

GPP Finisher

3 Rounds A. 20m Sled Push (RPE 6-7), or 12/side Banded Terminal Knee Extensions (faster tempo) B. 20m/side Suitcase Carry C. 20m Goblet Carry (heavy)

Sunday

GREEN High Day - Lower Body Power + Sprint Conditioning

Warmup

1 minute/side Banded Hip Flexor Stretch 10/side Child's Pose + Side to Side 10 Cat Camel 10/side Knee to Wall Ankle Mobility

Med Ball Rotational Throw

4 x 4

Rotational Ball Slams

4 x 4

Trapbar Deadlift

5 x 4

DB Walking Lunge

3 x 10

Slider/Towel Bodysaw

3 x 8

Sprint Intervals

RPE 8 6-8 sets: 15 seconds hard, 45 seconds light recovery Choose your piece of equipment.

GPP Finisher

3 Rounds A. 20m Sled Push (RPE 6-7), or 15/side Banded Terminal Knee Extensions (faster tempo) B. 40m/side Suitcase Carry C. 40m Goblet Carry (heavy)

Sunday

RED High Day - Lower Body Power + Sprint Conditioning

Warmup

1 minute/side Banded Hip Flexor Stretch 10/side Child's Pose + Side to Side 10 Cat Camel 15/side Knee to Wall Ankle Mobility

Bilateral DB RDL

3 x 6

DB Reverse Lunge

3 x 6

Front Plank

3 x 30

Low-Intensity Row/Spin

Rower/spin bike 4 rounds: 2 minutes on (RPE 6-7), 1 minute light recovery (RPE 4-5) Choose your piece of equipment.

Recovery

5-10 minutes Parasympathetic Breathing with feet up on wall Focus on deep inhale through the nose, with a second sharp inhale thru the nose at the end, long exhale through the mouth. Allow you body to relax and get out of "fight or flight" mode.

Monday

Low Day - Aerobic + Pump Lift

30 Minute Zone 2 Cardio

Bike, row, eliptical, outdoor ruck - 30 minutes total, staying at Zone 2 (60-70% max heart rate) Max Heart Rate = 220 - age

DB Shoulder Press

3 x 10

Chest-Supported DB Row

3 x 12

DB Lateral Raise

3 x 12

Banded Facepull

3 x 15

Deadbug

3 x 10

Side Plank

3 x 30

Tuesday

GREEN High Day - Upper Strength + Athletic Conditioning

Circuit

1 minute/side Banded Lat Stretch 10/side 1-arm Child's Pose + Trap Raise 10 sec hold x 3 Prone Shoulder Retraction Scap Pushup

Plyo Push-Up

4 x 5

Barbell Bench Press

5 x 4

Weighted Pull Ups

4 x 6

Band Resisted Single Arm Landmine Press

3 x 6

12 minute EMOM

Set time to 12 minutes, perform all exercises at RPE 8 Minute 1 - 12 KB Swings Minute 2 - 10/side Single Leg Wall Power Sprint Minute 3 - 6/side 1-arm DB Snatch

Tuesday

YELLOW High Day - Upper Strength + Athletic Conditioning

Circuit

1 minute/side Banded Lat Stretch 10/side 1-arm Child's Pose + Trap Raise 10 sec hold x 3 Prone Shoulder Retraction Scap Pushup

Plyo Push-Up

3 x 4

Barbell Bench Press

4, 4, 3, 3

Weighted Pull Ups

3 x 6

Band Resisted Single Arm Landmine Press

3 x 6

9 minute EMOM

Set time to 9 minutes, perform all exercises at RPE 8 Minute 1 - 12 KB Swings Minute 2 - 10/side Single Leg Wall Power Sprint Minute 3 - 6/side 1-arm DB Snatch

Tuesday

RED High Day - Upper Strength + Athletic Conditioning

Circuit

1 minute/side Banded Lat Stretch 10/side T-Spine Windmill 10/side 1-arm Child's Pose + Trap Raise 10 Wall Slides + Takeoff

One-Arm DB Bench Press

3 x 6

1-arm DB Row off Bench

3 x 8

Single Arm DB Shoulder Press

3 x 6

Low Intensity Row/Spin

Rower/spin bike 4 rounds: 2 minutes on (RPE 6-7), 1 minute light recovery (RPE 4-5) Choose your piece of equipment.

Recovery

Wednesday

Low Day - Aerobic + Mobility Lift

25-35 Minute Zone 2 Cardio

Bike, row, eliptical, outdoor ruck - 25 to 35 minutes total, staying at Zone 2 (60-70% max heart rate) Max Heart Rate = 220 - age

Alternating Single Leg RDL to Knee Hike

3 x 6

Bear Crawl Pass Through

3 x 8

TRX Row - Neutral Grip

3 x 10

Band Pass Through

3 x 12

Athletic Stance Band Pallof Press

3 x 12

Knee Hug Deep Breathing

3 x 30

Thursday

GREEN High Day - Full Body Performance

Warmup

1 minute/side Couch Stretch with deep breathing 8/side 90-90 Shin Box 6/side Alternating Spiderman Lunge 10/side Eccentric Calf Raise (@3011)

Broad Jump

4 x 3

Barbell Front Squat

5 x 4

Incline DB Bench Press

3 x 8

Barbell Yates Row

3 x 8

10 Minute Ladder

Set timer for 10 minutes. RPE 8 for everything - quality reps! Challenge core accordingly. 2-4-6-8-10 etc. A. DB Thrusters B. Ball Slams C. Plank Shoulder Taps (per side)

DB Bicep Curls

Weighted Bench Dip

Thursday

YELLOW High Day - Full Body Performance

Warmup

1 minute/side Couch Stretch with deep breathing 8/side 90-90 Shin Box 6/side Alternating Spiderman Lunge 10/side Eccentric Calf Raise (@3011)

Broad Jump

3 x 3

Barbell Front Squat

4, 4, 3, 3

Incline DB Bench Press

3 x 8

Barbell Yates Row

3 x 8

Repeat Ladder

RPE 8 for everything - quality reps! Challenge core accordingly. 1-2-3 of each movement. Rest 1 minute between sets. Repeat 6 Rounds. A. DB Thrusters B. Ball Slams C. Plank Shoulder Taps (per side)

DB Bicep Curls

Weighted Bench Dip

Thursday

RED High Day - Full Body Performance

Warmup

1 minute/side Couch Stretch with deep breathing 10/side 90-90 Shin Box 10/side Alternating Spiderman Lunge 15/side Hip to Wall Ankle Mobility

DB Front Squat

3 x 6

Incline DB Bench Press

3 x 6

Bent Over DB Row

3 x 8

Low-Intensity Row/Spin

Rower/spin bike 4 rounds: 2 minutes on (RPE 6-7), 1 minute light recovery (RPE 4-5) Choose your piece of equipment.

Recovery

Friday

Low Day - Long Aerobic + Bodyweight

40-45 Minute Zone 2 Cardio

Bike, row, eliptical, outdoor ruck - 40-45 minutes total, staying at Zone 2 (60-70% max heart rate) Max Heart Rate = 220 - age

Bodyweight Flow

3 Rounds RPE 7-8 for everything A. Bodyweight Air Squat - 15 B. Pushup + Alternating Toe Touch - 12 (6 per side) C. Stationary Athletic Skip - 12/side D. Hanging Knee Raises - 12

Coach

More from Perform Strength & Conditioning

Ian Schnarr

I'm a strength coach with 15+ years of experience training NHL and Olympic athletes along with thousands of driven adults. I created The Adaptive Athlete model to help driven adults train hard, stay athletic, recover smarter, and continue progressing without burning out from real-life stress.

Closing Statement

The goal isn't to survive workouts. The goal is to keep performing for years. Train hard. Recover smarter. Despite a life full of responsibilities. Become an Adaptive Athlete.

Get The Adaptive Athlete

FAQs

How long are the workouts?

45-60 minute sessions

What level of training experience is recommended?

Beginner - our coaching cues and video demonstrations are designed to guide you, regardless of training history.

The Proof

Nick Hannah

Registered Physiotherapist & Coach

Verified Athlete

"I'm no slouch when it comes to training, but I want everyone to know - Ian's program has made me the strongest I've ever been in my life. Whether you're looking to move better, stronger, faster - he's your guy. He knows what he's talking about and he's not going to steer you in the wrong direction!"

Nic Hague

NHL Defenseman, 2023 Stanley Cup Champ

Verified Athlete

"I've trusted Ian with my training for the last 12 years. Each offseason, he individualizes my program to ensure I'm getting the training that best suits my needs. His attention to detail and ability to make subtle, impactful changes have been influential in my development. I can't thank him enough!"

Tyler Soucie

Founder, Velo Baseball

Verified Athlete

"His ability to tailor programming to individual needs—whether for recovery, athletic development, or overall well-being—is what makes him an outstanding trainer. I highly recommend Ian to anyone looking to increase athletic performance, recover from injury, or optimize function for everyday life!"

Boris Katchouk

NHL Forward, '18 World Junior Gold Medal

Verified Athlete

""I've been training with Ian for the past 13 years...he's a hardworking, dedicated, intelligent coach who shows up day in and day out with a contagious work ethic. His loyalty and selflessness make him a person you want to have in your corner through the good times and the bad!""

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The Adaptive Athlete