Frameworks Episode 19 Recap: Simple ≠ Easy
Frameworks with Carl Hardwick | CoachRx Podcast Network
Today we’re tackling a myth that creeps into both coaching and life: the idea that if something is simple, it must also be easy. The truth? Some of the simplest things are the hardest. Simplicity strips away distractions. It leaves you face-to-face with the work, with nowhere to hide.
In this episode, I explore why we often run toward complexity not because it’s better, but because it gives us a place to hide (and sometimes…an excuse). And I’ll break down how this plays out in both program design and coaching.
Simplicity reveals the truth. Complexity can disguise it.
As coaches, our job isn’t to impress with layers of novelty, it’s to design with clarity, principles, and honesty.
The simplest prescription often demands the most courage.
Frameworks
1. Simplicity Strips Away the Noise
In life: Saying no to ten things so you can say yes to the one thing that matters.
In training: Cyclical aerobic work. Nothing to mask your effort—your output is staring you in the face. Compare that to a mixed piece where transitions and variety create built-in breaks.
2. Complexity Gives You Places to Hide
In life: Busywork feels productive, but avoids the hard thing. Meetings, emails, and planning can become an escape from real execution.
In training: A 1¼ squat lets you load less weight, feel the burn, and call it “hard”…but it’s not the same as stepping under a heavy bar for 3 clean reps.
3. The Hardest Work Is Usually the Simplest Work
In life: Eating whole foods, going to bed on time, moving every day. None of that is complex—but it’s brutally hard to do consistently.
In training: Strict pull-ups expose your true strength. Kipping pull-ups add complexity, but they also create an escape from the raw truth of what you can actually do.
Other examples:
Walking 10k steps daily (simple, but not easy) vs. “biohacking” your recovery.
MAP 10 cyclical repeats (bike erg, row) vs. “fun” circuits with toys.
Absolute strength work (deadlift, strict press) vs. endless accessory supersets.
Application
How to apply this framework as a coach:
Audit your designs: Are you adding complexity to entertain—or to truly progress adaptation?
Lean into simplicity: Program cyclical work, strict strength, foundational habits. These are harder, but more honest.
Coach the reality: Help clients understand why the simple prescription is the powerful one. Frame it as facing truth, not chasing variety.
Self-check: In your own life, ask: Am I avoiding the simple thing because it’s hard? Or am I willing to do the bare, exposed work?
Close
Simple doesn’t mean easy.
As coaches, our responsibility is to strip away the noise, prescribe what matters, and stand in the uncomfortable simplicity with our clients.
Because when we choose simplicity, we choose the long game. We choose truth.
And that’s where real growth lives.
Do you want me to also draft the email promo for Episode 19 so it ties directly into this blog like we’ve done for the other episodes?
Listen to Episode 19 Now
▶️ Watch on YouTube
🎧 Listen on Spotify
📖 Catch up on past episodes + blog recaps
Have questions? DM Carl on Instagram @hardwickcarl
Frameworks is part of the CoachRx Podcast Network, your hub for principled, purpose-driven coaching conversations.
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