Dude your ignoring the big, fat ass elephant in the room - drugs.
On cycle you can train however you want and still make serious gains.
I've seen guys get massive gains doing 30+ rep "pump" workouts, doing crossfit, doing circuit training, hell I even know a guy who got massive legs doing NO leg workouts & only stairmaster a few times a week.
This isn't a criticism - its just a fact that you can get away with a lot of shit in the gym if your on cycle because drugs are awesome
I should also mention that this is exactly why you should ignore 99% of enhanced guys giving out advice on training, they are completely ignorant when it comes to the large majority of their results being attributed to the compounds, not the training.
As for programming, I've done & created many programmes for me & my clients - it has its benefits & downfalls.
For beginners, or those who never bothered to learn about training, its absolutely essential.
For experienced lifters, not so much.
The biggest problem with programmes, as schredder alluded to, is that people get bored - and your mentality definitely matters when it comes to training. I have created programmes where guys have continued to make gains for months & months with no changes, but despite the constant progress, they get bored and require a change.
The biggest benefit is obviously the fact that you know your training is dialled in provided you chose the appropriate program. In other words, provided you do what the programme tells you. you will see results.
I personally don't follow a strict program because I know how to create my own & make sure its structured in such a way that I can continually make gains. But that's just me.
So it depends on how experienced lifter you are, how confident you are in your own ability to monitor & adjust your training based on results, etc.
