So I was reading this article online from Men’s Health, and it really pissed me off and got me rethinking about certifications. I could care less about “cult” references that have been thrown around about CrossFit for as long as I have been involved with it. I have said before, if being into fitness makes me weird, fine.
What pisses me off is this: The biggest knock on CrossFit is STILL that trainers/coaches don’t know what they are doing. People with “highly respected” fitness industry certs like to be quoted about the dangers of CrossFit. “High rep olympic weightlifting movements are a recipe for injury. CrossFit is a recipe for Rhabdo.”
Guess what fitness industry? Your certs suck! I am not knocking the in-depth knowledge about anatomy and ability to recite exactly how the Krebs cycle works. That is impressive that you know every insertion point and can name off every distal and proximal end. But guess what CSCS and ACSM holders? Anatomical knowledge doesn’t always relate to coaching skill and getting people to move well. Just keep writing peer-reviewed journals about which is better, smith machine squats or leg press. Use that to open doors to get a NFL strength coaching job where all you do is make sure you don’t hurt your players before Sunday. Btw, didn’t Rip renounce his CSCS? And don’t most NFL guys just train with DeFranco, Cressey, Athletes Performance , or their college gym anyways?
And regular Personal Trainer certs? Give me a break! The two most highly respected ones, ACE and NASM-if you passed high school biology and can memorize a few muscles you got the cert. It’s not that hard. If you can study and scored at least an old school 900 on the SAT, with 4 weeks of studying you can pass these. And if you want a different one where you can “at-home test” (NESTA, AFAA). Hell, most commercial gyms will hire you if you are just “planning” on taking A test as long as you have a TRX Suspension Trainer you can bring in for you clients! How cutting edge! And you’ll get double hired if you have a 10lb kettlebell!
core work son!
When I worked at a commercial gym I saw three cases of Rhabdo. Guess what? None of them were done by CrossFit workouts. They were all done by trainers with ACE certs and “supersets” to try and have arms like the trainer! And this kind of shitty stuff happens all the time. But just the trainer gets blamed, and the member quits so people don’t know how shitty the trainer is and the revolving door of clients that globo-gyms bring in keeps them in business. I’ve seen sprained ankles and blown ACLs from “plyometrics” (term used very loosely) in “Boot Camp” classes.
Please, don’t even get me started on any shithead that is his high school “strength” coach. These jokesters don’t have to be certified in anything other than they used to be all-conference O-lineman in 1985. Only a select few of these have seen the light.
Now, how about “coaching” certs? CrossFit, CrossFit Specialty courses, USAW, USAT&F, etc. Do two and three day courses prepare people to be able to teach movements to people? Yes and no. It ALL depends on the coach. These are designed to not be like a fucking college lecture hall, but more like a college lab. It’s all about application of theory, not just being able to recite the theory. Let’s give some anecdotal evidence from my on experience.
Part 2 coming soon.
Comments
Where is the “like” button! Well said!
Those videos are priceless! Sad that these are probably individuals with a passion for what they do, but nonetheless misguided and providing their athletes with worthless, if not dangerous, coaching.
The “squats” reminded me of an SNL skit. All this seriousness with knee wraps and suits with small weights and smaller movements.
i know at least two rhabdo cases that happened under the watch of two seperate crossfit trainers. just because you haven’t seen it yourself doesn’t mean it never happens.
crossfit is not the end all be all, neither is the nasm or nasm or whatever else.
the best coaches will standout, without screaming, just by the results and saftey of their athletes.
i am not bashing you, i just think that your article is taking the slanted view of the men’s health article (which ticked me off also), but this does nothing but add fuel to the crossfit hate machince.
we can’t be the crossfit police, just focus you positive energy to the stuff that really matters.
i understand kwhere you are coming from, mix the education with application.
I personally got rhabdo and spent 4 days in the hospital from a crossfit workout involving ghd’s, squat cleans, and running. I was supervised by 2 coaches for the workout, but the fact that I got rhabdo was on me. They were very deliberate in teaching the potency of ghd’s, as well as proper form with all lifts. I had been crossfitting about 2 months, but had been running marathons for some time. I was just “fit” enough to hurt myself. I feel that my crossfit certified coaches were in no way at fault for my rhabdo. I treat it like any other sports injury, just one of those things.
craig obviously doesnt get anything your trying to say here…
I second that John!
Certs just say you have met the minimum requirements to be a trainer. It doesn’t matter if it is crossfit, NASM, ACE(mine),etc. you can be worthless as hell or a great trainer that gets results.
The reality is that there are a lot of inexperienced CrossFit trainers out there that are doing just as much stupid shit as other “trainers”. If CrossFit wants to hold itself up as the pinnacle of the fitness world, then certification should be only one part of your overall qualification to be a trainer or especially an affiliate.
Experience and additional education would strengthen and grow the brand faster than the current survival-of-the-fittest system. If some joker that has been CFing for six months gets his Level1 and decides to open a box next door to me, he’s going to take a portion of my business just because it’s the new, shiny thing. Sure they’ll be back in six months, but the margins aren’t so high in this business that I can afford to fight off nuisances like this or have to apologize for CrossFit not ensuring the quality of the businesses that use their name.
Hit the nail right on the head!! Well done….looking forward to part 2.
awesome… The one rep from all 5 guys who squat that might actually count, the trainer yells “Too Deep!” hysterical.
It is true that the fitness community does not give CrossFit a fair go but, let’s not forget that CrossFit is no better in their elitist attitude toward the regular fitness industry. Here is something that the CrossFit community should not forget: It is impossible to have 150 odd people, paying $1000 each (nice cash in per weekend), do a Crossfit Level 1 each weekend and think they are all knowledgeable about CrossFit and Fitness/ Strength in general, and nor do I think that is the point of the 2 day cert. The Exponential injury rise in the CrossFit community since the early days (yes i realise there are more people doing it now) is more than enough proof that some trainers are not on the right track. Having said that the regular fitness industry is no better in terms of injury rate, or just flat out crap programming and technique in general.
I have seen some shocking CrossFit coaches since I started in 2005. I saw some really bad coaching just 2 days ago in CrossFit gym, where I train myself with their Oly lifting gear, and his explanation of why people Power Jerk, Squat Jerk or Split Jerk or especially his explanation of what a belt is for. I have also seen some shocking Fitness coaches in normal gyms and just in the local park. No course provides enough info or experience to become a great trainer; it is just the start point. It has taken me 6 years to become what I consider decent trainer i.e. consistent, more than respectable results, low injury (if injury does occur, it is very minor) and I don’t accredit any course alone for this. It has been a mixture of several courses, and my own trials and mistakes that have made it this way. I have gained something from every course I have done, every coach I have spoken too, athletes from body builders to CrossFitter’s, Oly lifters and Powerlifters and especially competing. Don’t dismiss any form of possible knowledge gain that could be one day used in a practical situation.
@Mark H-you mean like this:http://crabcakesncrossfit.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/learning-from-others/
Yep. Just like that..I found it refreshing to see that post. Now only if all CrossFit trainers saw it the same way.
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[...] In part 1 I spoke about what I have seen firsthand at globo-gyms that many people did not get to see as an employee (6 plus years behind the scenes). I made fun of shitty trainers, shitty group-exers, and shitty strength coaches. Why? Just because it was fun? Yes. I kid, I kid, not just because it was fun. [...]