I for one love it when this happens, because it is like watching a child get into puberty! The world is at their feet and with all their wisdom and the revolutionary programming they are about to unleash on themselves they will be the fathers and mothers of a new world order!
When I have the opportunity to watch this process from a front row seat, I usually just lean back and watch the blend of complete disaster with pure genius, and blatant disregard of the experience so freely shared in the CrossFit Journal and online from thousands and thousands who have walked this path before, and maybe there is even one or two brights lights who actually paid attention at the level 1 cert, and remember what was said in the programming lecture! I love and thoroughly enjoy this enhusiastic disregard of knowledge gained, and the courage to dwelve into virtually anything they can come up with! Some really fantastic programming has actually come from this very process- I have nothing whatsoever against people who do this and try it on themselves! More power to you!
What I do have something to say about is the person who begins to program for others! Once you begin to program for someone other than yourself, you have actively taken responsibility for the success of that persons fitness regimen! This is a pretty big responsibility, and if you have not had some seroius thoughts about the depth of your commitment, then you should respectfully decline the opportunity to program for someone else...... If you feel fine about it and feel that you can fill these shoes without problems, then please do program for others!
One thing that I often see that really bothers me, is when the person who does the programming lets his/her own goals poison the programming of others! If you are a oly lifting freak, and find yourself programming for someone else, who ends up doing some sort of oly lift at least 4 days a week, but have never gone unbroken, or had to do a hero WoD! Then something is definately wrong and chances are pretty big that the athletes following this genius programming will never see the shaddow of their goals! The same can be said if your poison is kettlebells, running, gymnastics etc. You get the point!
Another one of the things that really gets me up in a knot is when the programming genius becomes convinved of his/her own genius, and falls into the trap of routine. When the athlete following this bright lights programming, wonders what is in the cards for the day, but already knows what the structure of the WoD will be like. They may not know what the specific details of the WoD but they know more or less what the workout is going to look like! When this happens, you know for a fact that the programming has become more routine than thought!
Author of the any ashole workout? This is the guy who just wants to knock the S%#T out of you and adds up all the worst exercises he can think of, and comes up with an insane rep scheme.... all designed to put you on your ass! There is no rhyme or reason behind the WoD other than making the author feel like a bigger man?? What do you think this ego massage is going to do for your overall fitness??
The list is long, so if you have been programming for others for a while, my advice to you is to seek help!
Let others program for the athlete/athletes you have been programming for, and follow that programming yourself!
Cruise other CrossFit boxes websites and become inspired! Look at other sites and see what they are doing!
Read the CrossFit Journal, and what it has to say on programming!
Do another Level 1 cert and pay attention to the programming lecture! Especially if Karl Steadman is the man in charge of it!
Never think that you have all the answers!
What advice do you have for people who program? What is your experience of people programming you? When programming for yourself, please knock yourself out my friends! When programming for someone else you need to take the responsibility that comes along with it!
Much love
3 comments:
Mads, Welcome back to the bloggoshere! Your voice is needed!
On the matter of the topic I'd like to stress that some responsibility should perhaps fall on the athlete choosing to follow "Mr Programing Genius" not so great programming. In a way there is not any difference in choosing to follow for instance CrossFit.com or programming done by "Mr Programing Genius". The question comes down to: what authority do you trust with the realization of your training goals.
The resources out there are limitless. So if your results are of importance to you choose wisely people!
And Mads: stay with us now!
Rackem sir!
You are as always spot on! Needless to say the athlete who does the choosing has to take responsibility as well. It is hard though if the poor sucker doesnt know what to look for in good programming, and allows him/herself to be pulled along by the enthusiam of the programming wizard! But the door definately swings both ways!
Mads
I´ve heard that you can solve any goals with squats and deadlifts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNJiHuQIbmM
;)
Keep it up Mads!
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