Training Frequency

Lately, probably due to my preparation for the So Cal Regional, I've been getting questions related to my training frequency.

First of all I DO NOT train seven days a week. I don't think I could handle that volume, and I would venture to say that anyone who consistently trains seven days a week isn't performing as well as they could. It just isn't necessary to train that much.

I personally train, normally, about five times per week, with rest/recovery days built into the middle of my schedule. Now, depending on how you look at it, there are days where I do have multiple sessions or what others might call "double days". It may look like this:

Met-con session/strength session
-or-
Met-con session/Met-con session
-or-
Met-con session/endurance WOD

I usually try to make sure I have at least 1-2 hours between double met-con sessions. I also try to consistently mix-up my session. Sometimes I do strength first and sometimes I do it last.

I think it's important to remember "quality before quantity". This means if I'm tired I REST! In my opinion, recovery is the key component to improved performance. My goal is to always come into a workout as well rested as I can be, this allows me to attack the workout with everything I have.

Key takeaway points for training frequency:

• Don't train seven days a week, put rest/recovery days into your schedule 
• Multiple sessions in a day are OK, just give yourself sometime between sessions
• Mix your routine up
• QUALITY BEFORE QUANTITY, if you're tired REST!

Side-note: Here is a link to an article by Coach Greg Glassman written in January 2005, "What about Recovery?". Coach presents some interesting ideas on "recovery" and athletic performance. Funny thing is, in this article, he states, "If we clump the recuperative modalities together as “pampering” what my clinical practice suggests is that the pampered athletes are generally performing below the 50-percentile mark. Those most inclined, for instance, to yoga, meditation, and chiropractic treatment are not our fire-breathers. I don’t think that yoga, meditation, and chiropractic treatment are injurious to performance; I think that self-pampering and longing for comfort are, however, correlative with low drive and success. Why is it that those most inclined to worry and ask about “overtraining” are about as likely to set a new record in the Olympic Decathlon as they are to ever overtrain?" I'll let you form your own opinion :).