Congratulations to TPH’s three Certified CrossFit Trainers (CF-L3): Tony, Beth, and Monica!

According to CrossFit’s trainer directory, there are only 43 Certified Level 3 CrossFit Trainers in all of Washington state, and three of them coach at Twenty Pound Hamer!

The CF-L3 is a significant achievement for CrossFit coaches. From CrossFit’s website:

“The Certified CrossFit Trainer (CCFT) credential is for an experienced individual who wants to demonstrate a higher level of CrossFit coaching knowledge and ability. The purpose of the CCFT is to ensure that an individual possesses the knowledge and competency required to train clients safely and effectively.

“To attain this credential individuals must meet all eligibility requirements, pass the CCFT examination, and commit to a long-term standard of professional accountability. This includes completing continuing education which can be accomplished by taking CrossFit courses, approved third-party courses and more. The CCFT credential is accredited by the American National Standards Institute.

“The Certified CrossFit Trainer examination consists of 160 multiple-choice questions…on a broad range of topics such as Screening and Ongoing Assessment, Programming, Educating, Training, Leadership and Management, Lifestyle Education, and Professional Responsibilities. The CCFT is unique in its inclusion of videos and photos to test practical training skills and knowledge. The CCFT requires a significant number of hands-on coaching hours and is designed to test an individual’s ability to apply his or her knowledge gained from practical experience and education.”

Preparing for the L3 was interesting, as it’s so different from the L1 and L2. The L1 and L2 are primarily in-person and center around lectures as well as hands-on training and feedback — the goal is to acquire knowledge and develop skills. Studying in advance is helpful, but I found I got the best nuggets during the course itself. In contrast, the L3 tests already-acquired knowledge and skills. Much of those come from years of coaching, but reviewing all the study materials was also a great way to learn and refresh my memory. The breadth of information in the L3 handbook is inspiring! It touches so many aspects of fitness, including topics we don't discuss explicitly in classes but that form a foundation of health.

Every additional course I take gives me a renewed appreciation for CrossFit and its methodology. It was also rewarding to be tested on the knowledge I’ve acquired over years of coaching, and to have that knowledge validated. I pretty much live and breathe coaching, and it’s easy to lose sight of how far I’ve progressed as a coach over the last 10 years since I do it every day. It’s helpful to have checkpoints to measure where I am now and realize I’ve gotten better from where I started. Incremental progress over a long period of time adds up to a lot of progress…just like with physical training!

Maintaining an L3 requires accumulating continuing education courses, which include but are not limited to CrossFit-specific courses. There’s also the Level 4, which is a rigorous practical exam where your coaching skills are judged in real time. Every finish line is starting line for a new goal. We were all excited to cross the L3 finish line — and equally excited to use this as a springboard to keep learning more and getting better.