Month: May 2016

HAZING is the practice of rituals and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group (Wikipedia). I have witnessed many workouts where the coach, trainer or martial arts instructor pushes their athletes to extreme exhaustion.These workouts feature drills, skills, times and energy systems that obviously do not fit the goals of the victims. Without a foundation in exercise science, to whom is this type of practice benefiting? The needs of the athlete or the coach? At its best, hazing rituals in fitness can build team unity and bond individuals. At its worst, participants may get sick, injured, humiliated and discouraged. Coaches need to know where to draw the line. Hazing should not be confused with legitimate training!

Fives signs you’re being hazed:

1. The workout features endless burpees
2. The workout serves no purpose but to create extreme fatigue
3. The ritual lasts five times longer than the actual event you are training for
4. This is no evidence of a plan and no one is recording results
5. The next time you workout you feel increased fatigue and fragility. You’ve also become weaker and slower.