WOD – Fundamentally Flawed

WOD is an acronym for workout of the day. Is a cornerstone of a popular fitness craze that needs to be totally re-examined in light of the injuries caused by it and the number of people put in the hospital with Rhabdomyolysis (That is for another blog at another time) Let’s look at WOD in the light of what training should be. The workout, the individual training session is the building block of a comprehensive training program. No one workout is an end unto itself; each workout is a means to an end. Yesterday’s workout should seamlessly flow into today’s works and today’s workout should set up and connect with tomorrow’s workout. That is sound training – simple and effective. In addition each workout is not designed to be as hard it can be. There is a rhythm, a flow of alternating hard and easy workouts all designed to achieve adaptation to the desired training stimulus. Each workout should be designed to fit the demands of the sport being trained for the needs of the individual athlete. Pushing to the edge and beyond and puking in every session is not training, it is stupidity, in fact it is abusive. That is what I see the WOD concept do. No workout is connected to another workout, every workout is to the max everyday. There is no time to allow for adaptation. This results in the survivors getting very fit and those that do not survive get injured. Training should not be a survival contest; it is about adaptation and cumulative training effect over time to achieve the desired training goal. Training should fit the individual one size does not fit all. When you log on to get your WOD ask yourself why you are doing the same thing as everyone else is doing? That should be your first clue that something is wrong. Also it is important to remember that it does not always have to be hard and grinding to get results. Training accumulates over time. Give yourself a chance to get progressively better by making sure that each workout is part of an overall plan with specific long, medium and short-term goals. Plan your training and work your plan to achieve your goals.

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Vern Gambetta

Director at Gambetta Sports Training Systems

Vern is the Director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems. He has been the a conditioning coach for several MLS teams as well as the conditioning consultant to the US Men's World Cup Soccer team. Vern is the former Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets. He has lectured and conducted clinics in Canada, Japan, Australia and Europe and has authored six books and over one hundred articles related to coaching and sport performance in a variety of sports. He has a BA in teaching with a coaching minor and an MA in Education with an emphasis in physical education from Stanford University.

@coachgambetta

Athletic Development Coach, Educator & Consultant. Founder of GAIN Network. Proud dad. Love to read everything.

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Vern Gambetta

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