Monday, March 26, 2007

Personal Preference

Whether you are scientific about training, fly by the seat of your pants or anywhere in between, you can't help but bring your personal preferences in to your training. Over the many years I have had the privilege of speaking with several (and I mean several) of what I would call "well versed" strength coaches/trainers and a common factor that I've noticed is that a lot of them believe in certain things based on their personal likes and dislikes.

For instance, you may read where a strength coach will recommend training 2x per week and advocate 20 rep squats. Why? First and foremost, if worked hard it can be productive but secondly, a lot of personal preference goes into that program. You may see another coach recommend the bench press and have a program based around it and then another coach emphasize the overhead press. Again, more than likely the bench press coach likes the BP and will incorporate it into their program because they feel there is value. Another example is a coach recommending 3x per week training instead of 2 or a person who suggests additional CV work and then another who recommends none.

My point here is this - a lot of what we read (and sometimes write) is based on what the individual finds to be of value to THEM and then passes it along as value to others. Nothing inherently wrong with doing that but it is up to the reader (and the writer) to not read (or speak) as what is written to be gospel and to understand and entertain that which is proposed and embark on the journey themselves. - Fred Fornicola