"Information Overload"

Ouch. My brain hurts.

You know, the internet has been a wonderful thing to and for strength and conditioning training. Because of increased computer and internet access, trainees have the ability to see, read, and study programs (and their creators/proponents) that they may never have seen in the pas – that is, unless they were extremely lucky.

While I know this is great for all involved, the old saying “there is such a thing as too much of a good thing” can apply as well.

Like many other trainees and trainers, I try to keep up with what’s going on in the strength and conditioning world. I read quite a few articles, frequent various training forums, subscribe to e-zines, pick up new products now and then . . . and you know, there is a lot of good stuff out there. Just take a look at the following short list of what’s available out there (and this list is BY NO MEANS complete):

-Scrapper– THE MAN when it comes to bodyweight calisthenics
-Scott Sonnon – Clubbell creator; Body Flow (nothing else on the market similar to it)
-Liam "Taku" Bauer– about the best damn HIIT program you’re going to find
-Pavel Tsatsouline – Kettlebell innovator, Power to the People
-Mike Mahler – Kettlebell Instructor, some of the best (and most varied) articles on the internet
-Renegade Training/Coach John Davies – his products speak for themselves
-Westside Barbell Club/Dave Tate/Louie Simmons – some of powerlifting’s finest
-Bryce Lane – if you haven’t checked out his stuff, you should (and it’s FREE, too!)

(I’d like to put my Singles & Doubles programs and myself in the above list, but I’d rather let you readers determine if I belong there or not…)

With all that’s out there,, which one do you choose? I’ve seen and done just about everything out there, and I still find myself wanting to switch from one thing to another when I read about something new.
Yes, the internet has been a boon to strength and conditioning by making all of the above (and much more) readily available, but at times, I think trainees (myself included) reach a state of burnout or “Information Overload.” In other words, there is so much good information out there, you have trouble processing it all and deciding which is best for you.

How do you correct or prevent “Information Overload?” Well, it can be pretty tough. But, it can be done.
The first thing you need to do it to sit down with a pad of paper and make a list of all your training goals. Next, do a self-assessment on how close you are to reaching each of these goals. Be completely honest with yourself – if you’re not even close to achieving one goal, accept the fact – it will make life much easier later. Next, rank the goals in order of importance. Which one(s) are you most interested in or have the most need to accomplish? Which one(s) would you be able to achieve first if you focused on it?

Once you’ve got all this information, make a final list of goals that can act as a “Final Copy” of sorts. This would be the sort of thing that you could print out, put on the wall, and check goals off as you accomplish them.

Ok, now that you have your goals firmly established, sift through the many program designs/styles and determine which one(s) are best suited to your goals. Be sure to keep an open mind when doing this – you may find that you may be able to “mix and match” certain programs/styles. For example, you could combine Kettlebell training and Clubbell training. Or, you could combine the programs out of Singles & Doubles 2 with Scrapper’s bodyweight workouts or Taku’s intervals. Some programs, such as Davies’ or Crossfit’s programs, integrate other programs into them already.

Once you’ve determined which program(s) you want to/should use, you need to COMMIT to it. All this effort and the best programs in the world will still produce half-assed results if you’re doing different programs every few days because you see something new and get a “wild hair.”

This sort of commitment can be tough to make and stick to, but you need to find a way. Many times a training partner can be very helpful on keeping you on track, as you can’t just change routines whenever you want if you have somebody depending/relying on you and the set routine/schedule you planned together. Maybe you just need to limit your exposure – once you commit to a routine, don’t read any more training related information (so as not to get excited about something new and want to try it, losing motivation for your current program) until you’ve accomplished certain goals or you feel a program change is necessary.

Basically, what it all boils down to is consistency. If you’re doing something new every week, you’ll find yourself getting nowhere fast. There’s nothing wrong with constantly reading and learning, but remember, “there can be too much of a good thing.”

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard.