CSCS & USA-W L1, Should I get my CF L1? Should I intern in a box?

[leodonaldson]

Sup y'all! I'm wanting to get my foot in the door and try being a coach in a box. As the title says I have my CSCS, USA-W L1, B.S. in Exercise Phys. as well as 2 Strength and conditioning internships in power-5 D1 schools under my belt, though its been a little over a year since I've been in the relative field, I'm working at a StretchLAB and looking to get back into the movement based field. I'm planning on reaching out to some box owners and see if I can get a job, or intern before I get a job. Regardless though I wanted to get some opinions on if I should get my CF L1?

 

[farmerdex]

@leodonaldson I have those same credentials as well as an MSc in Ex Sci. Crossfit is a world unto itself. I have an L1 and it’s only good in the crossfit world. I would reach out to an owner and tell them about yourself and see what they say. They may require you to get an L1, they may not, depending on how their business is set up. However, It’s a very valuable course so I recommend either way.

 

[steve8524]

@leodonaldson I have an L1 and I’d make a poor CrossFit coach. You learn some things but being a good coach is so much more than that certificate.

It doesn’t sound like you already do CrossFit. If that is indeed the case then I would start there, and eventually see if you can start shadowing the coaches in your gym.

 

[leodonaldson]

@steve8524 I can understand that about being a coach being more than a cert and education. I got lucky to have good mentors in Strength and Conditioning.

Currently I’m not doing crossfit. Ruptured my achilles a little over a year ago doing some mma. I did do crossfit for about 2 ish years back in college… shortly after competing in Olympic Lifting.

Its def been a little bit, shadowing and preppin for a L1 sounds like it might be the way to go.

(Hopefully I’m not coming across as egotistical or arrogant with the above mentioned)

 

[dawn16]

@leodonaldson The technically correct answer is you need your L1 to coach CrossFit classes.

The realistic answer is you are far more qualified than most people coaching. I'd reach out to the gym you want to work at and see if they can't get you coaching clients ASAP, whether 1 on 1, small group of specialist (weightlifting) class.

 

[dawn16]

@leodonaldson If you want to coach at a CrossFit gym it seems like a no brainer to get your level 1 cert. it’s a requirement. I think it costs $1200 and isn’t that difficult from what I’ve heard

 

[leodonaldson]

@dawn16 Oh so its a requirement, you won't be allowed to coach unless you have a CF cert?

 

[dawn16]

@leodonaldson As far as I know, since the gym owners have to pay the he affiliation fee I’m guessing they want all coaches “officially” certified. I can’t say whether or not every owner requires it, I’m just assuming

 

[goonies511]

@dawn16 L1 is not “certified”. Only L3 and above are Certified Coaches by CrossFit.

 

[dawn16]

@goonies511 Semantics, we’re talking about a level 1 certificate here. Sorry if I used the wrong words

 

[dawn16]

@leodonaldson Also, I just checked and its now $1380 for the level 1 cert

 

[leodonaldson]

@dawn16 That’s a hefty price. Is the learnt knowledge worth that?

 

[devonboy]

@leodonaldson No it’s not for you. You can learn everything on your own by going to some classes and the L1 manual is freely available online for you to get their methodologies.

I may be downvoted for this but honestly if you wanted to learn about mixed modality energy system training, which is basically what CrossFit is, I’d probably look into OPEX CCP but that is a HEFTY price.

 

[finallytrulyalive]

@leodonaldson Each CrossFit box is independently owned, so it’s up to the owner as to what the require to coach. The biggest thing you will get out of the L1 with your background is a deeper understanding of the methodology behind CrossFit. It’s much better in person than online as the staff has sooooo much knowledge and information to share. If you get serious about coach CF, then it would be moving on to your L2, where they actually teach coaching.

If you are more into learning higher skill movements Ruben I recommended “Power Monkey Camp” where you learn 10 different stations such as handstand, snatch, muscle ups, rowing, jump rope…… from former Olympians and nation champions in their respective fields. Way more in depth knowledge than the L1, but. It a CF certificate

 

[devonboy]

@finallytrulyalive I’m not sure if that’s completely true about it being up to the gym on who they’ll allow coach. Now I’m no lawyer and don’t know the fine print details but I’m pretty sure CrossFit requires a coach to have a CrossFit credential to coach one of their classes.

If they didn’t I’d assume it’s a huge liability for the gym in terms of the possibility of losing their affiliation with CrossFit as well as insurance if something were to happen.

 

[finallytrulyalive]

@devonboy They require the owner of the gym to have have an L1, but you can have very good coaches without an L1. I’m not sure how true it is, but it’s said that Mat Fraiser doesn’t have his L1

 

[devonboy]

@leodonaldson I would only get the L1 if you want to coach in a CrossFit gym. You already have the basis of knowledge around fitness and exercise the L1 wouldn’t be worth the money. That said you will have to have the L1 to coach a CrossFit class.

 

[caleb_m]

@leodonaldson As someone with those same certs, it doesn’t matter in the CrossFit space. CrossFit is group exercise. So having those certs is as valuable as it would be to have them and trying to lead Zumba.

 

[leodonaldson]

@caleb_m I'm having some slight trouble understanding the comment. I'm interpreting from this that having these certs are trivial in CF?

 

[caleb_m]

@leodonaldson You’ve got it. I came into the space a long time ago, when it was generally more performance minded, but the knowledge doesn’t carry across. USAW does somewhat, but only on singles not on cycling. The CSCS is pretty opposite of CF’s methodology though. And when I came in with my ex phys knowledge, most members went glassy eyes.

They’re good certs and having that internal knowledge base is nice, but in terms of actually on the floor application they’re pretty irrelevant in the group setting.

You can leverage that knowledge to get a bunch of individual clients though, which can prove to be much more profitable.