$1000 T-shirt

Amongst haters, the Crossfit level one cert is known as the $1000 t-shirt class. You take a two day seminar, you pay $1000 and you’re allowed to open a CrossFit affiliate.

Amongst honest CrossFitters, there is an understanding that a 16 hour seminar with two tough workouts and a multiple choice test (one that many people fail) is no promise of good coaching. Good coaching isn’t any different from any other skill – it takes a willingness to learn, work and time. Like any other skill, there are techniques.

Verbal cues are a great example. When you see someone do something wrong, say something… but what should you say? It depends on many things but keeping it simple is usually key. If you’re offering someone a correction while their in the midst of a metcon, they aren’t going to have a ton of brain power to process complex information.

Keep it simple. And then, perhaps even more importantly, see if your cue works. Did they fix the thing you wanted them to fix? You’ll only know if you watch the next rep. Don’t tell someone to fix something and then walk away.

This coaching tip brought to you by the level 2 cert manual. You can read the whole thing here and you don’t even have to pay $1000 for a t-shirt.

(For what it’s worth, my personal experience with the CrossFit level one cert was that it was very well coached and presented. Also, the coaching cue I gave to Charles in the video was to push jerk the bar. He was tired and doing a push press. Watch the whole video and you’ll see him switch to a much more efficient motion.)

Experimenter Bias
Part 1: Strength
X=90% of your 1rm back squat
3 reps at 70% of x
3 reps at 80% of x
3+ reps at 90% of x
Part 2: Metcon
For time
3 rounds
50 double unders
10 toes to bar
2 rounds
50 sit ups
10 chest to overhead anyhows (135/95)
1 round
50 push ups
10 clean and jerks (135/95)

Check the whiteboard for numbers.