Programming Advice

Whether I'm writing up some workouts for myself or for the masses, below is some pretty solid advice I've taken on effective WOD programming that I've adopted. This is a great starting place for beginners for maintaining GPP for the gen. pop. in your box.

"Good​ ​programming​ ​is​ ​simple​ ​programming."

Difficulty​ ​in​ ​execution​ is ​not​ ​a​ ​measure​ ​of​ ​effectiveness.​ ​Rather,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​a​ ​measure​ ​of​ ​difficulty.​ ​Don't​ ​conflate​ ​the​ ​two.

Most​ ​of​ ​your​ ​athletes​ ​don't​ ​need​ ​to​ ​squat​ ​snatch​ ​on​ ​a​ ​daily​ ​basis;​ ​they​ ​need​ ​to​ ​squat.​ ​They​ ​don't​ ​need​ ​to​ ​rope​ ​climb; they​ ​need​ ​to​ ​do​ ​pull-ups.​ ​They​ ​don't​ ​need​ ​double​-unders;​ ​they​ ​need​ ​to​ ​sprint.

Pick​ ​the​ ​big​ ​exercises,​ ​the​ ​simple​ ​movements,​ ​ones​ ​that​ ​move​ ​the​ ​athlete's​ ​center​ ​of​ ​gravity​ ​a​ ​long​ ​way​ ​using​ ​low coordination​ ​movement​ ​patterns.​ ​Layer​ ​on​ ​high​ ​coordination​ ​movements​ ​as​ ​a​ ​supplement,​ ​an​ ​expression​ ​of​ ​power​ ​best suited​ ​to​ ​those​ ​who​ ​already​ ​exhibit​ ​virtuosity​ ​as​ ​the​ ​basics,​ ​those​ ​you​ ​consider​ ​advanced,​ ​those​ ​who​ ​plan​ ​to​ ​compete.

Further,​ ​most​ ​of​ ​your​ ​athletes​ ​don't​ ​need​ ​to​ ​work​ ​out​ ​for​ ​a​ ​half​ ​hour.​ ​They​ ​need​ ​to​ ​bust​ ​their​ ​ass​ ​for​ ​five​ ​to​ ​ten​ ​minutes. They​ ​need​ ​anaerobic​ ​training.

Take​ ​the​ ​big​ ​exercises,​ ​and​ ​combine​ ​them​ ​in​ ​couplets​ ​and​ ​triplets,​ ​and​ ​keep​ ​your​ ​rep​ ​schemes​ ​to​ ​a​ ​level​ ​that​ ​allows your​ ​clients​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​going.

"Short.​ ​Simple.​ ​Hard,​ ​not​ ​difficult.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​the​ ​foundation​ ​of​ ​fitness.​ ​Everything​ ​else​ ​is​ ​just​ ​gravy."

Nov. 6, 2013, Jon Gilson is the founder of Again Faster and former member of CrossFit’s Level I Seminar staff.

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