“Men who are occupied in the restoration of health to other men, by the joint exertion of skill and humanity, are above all the great of the earth.  They even partake of divinity, since to preserve and renew is almost as noble as to create.”  -Voltaire

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There's basically two reasons why a person would invest a big chunk o' change in a weekend seminar in order to get certified as a CrossFit trainer.

1. The desire to be a better athlete.
2. The desire to help others to be better athletes.

Ever since my post last week regarding (some of) my identified weaknesses, I've had several people come forward and express an interest in becoming a trainer.  I am very pleased that people are looking at this as an opportunity to better themselves and participate in training others.

There are several avenues to pursue becoming a trainer.  Since we follow the CrossFit methodology, I encourage those aspiring trainers to look into the CrossFit Level I course as the initial step.  After learning the basics of the CrossFit method, and becoming proficient in teaching the movements associated with general physical preparedness, a trainer can move on to specialty training such as kettlebells, gymnastics, running, rowing, mobility, kids, Olympic lifting, power lifting, grappling, football and striking.  CrossFit also has an advanced "Level II" certification, of which there are only two people in the entire state of Montana.  Other organizations also provide certifications, such as National Strength and Conditioning Association, USA Weightlifting, and Optimum Performance Training.

The other area of knowledge that I encourage everyone (not just aspiring trainers) to pursue is fueling, or commonly referred to as nutrition.  Of course, centered around paleo concepts.  Not only does the paleo concept simply make sense to me, but it's the preferred fueling method for most top level athletes in the CrossFit world, and many top performers outside the sport of fitness.

Someday I will make a list of all the seminars I would like to attend and all the certifications I would like to gain.  Suffice it to say for now that my Level I CrossFit Training has proven to be very valuable.  The other seminars and courses I have attended have been a result of my exposure to CrossFit and I am very happy to have spent the time and money to go.

There's also a number of other organizations that are typically providing services to the mainstream health-club industry...something that our style of training doesn't include such as Spinning, Zumba, P90X and the like.

The "underground" fitness industry spawned by CrossFit has also opened the doors for business training for gyms that use the same model as ONDEG.  This training can be valuable when considering opening a garage gym or fitness center that uses CrossFit methods.

The timing is good for those interested in becoming a CrossFit trainer.  There is a certification in Calgary, AB on May 28 and 29.  I am scheduled to be there to take my Level I test and we have one other person from the gym who is registered to attend the two day certification.  This would be a great opportunity to share expenses by carpooling, sharing rooms and learning with people that you already train with.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a trainer, get in touch with me and I'd be happy to discuss the possibilities with you.  The first step is to subscribe to the CrossFit Journal and download the Level I Training Guide.  In order to standardize the training provided here at ONDEG, I am developing an internship program for would-be trainers.  Essentially, it's an opportunity for those interested in being assistant trainers to learn about the underlying principles that drive the programming and training for our members.

There will be a briefing for prospective trainers on Saturday, 29 January at 7:30am.  Anyone who would like to pursue internship here at the gym is encouraged to attend.