Fran

21-15-9
Thrusters 95#
Pullups

3:35

Notes - pretty happy with this time, 95# thrusters are significantly easier compared to the last time I did Fran, probably almost a year ago. I'm guessing my 1RM thruster is around 200# now so that definitely helps. My goal going in was to go as steady as possible and maintain a consistent pace so I could go unbroken. I did the round of 21 unbroken. I didn't drop the bar on any set of thrusters but in the round of 15 and 9 I rested in the rack once during each set I think. Round of 15 and 9 pullups I dropped from the bar once during each set. I wonder if I took a few more seconds during my transitions between thrusters and pullups if I would have been able to do the pullups unbroken. Goal for next time is a sub 3:00 time and unbroken.

Today was also the first day of my Level I Cert Course. The course is organized very well and all of the instructors definitely know there stuff. The instructors, most of whom I've seen in Crossfit journal videos, mainsite videos, or Games videos are well versed in the Crossfit methodologies, movements, and are better lecturers than many professors I had in college. I feel like these courses are unique in that you have basically professional caliber athletes presenting material, where they unequivocally practice what they preach. This is contrasted by many coaching/sports-related seminars where washed up coaches who you can't ever picture having any sort of athletic ability try to tell you how to move your body or play a sport.

The Level I Cert Course handbook thing that you can find as a free download on the Crossfit Journal is kind of like the textbook of the course material but I wasn't impressed with the handbook as it seems more like a haphazard piecing together of various crossfit journal articles that cover the principals that are presented in the course. Nonetheless the handbook is a great resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the Crossfit definition, Crossfit's definition of fitness, movement overviews, and things like that.

The material presented in the course follows a logical progression, like many of the fundamental Crossfit principles. The material is easy to follow and I can see how hundreds of people drink the Koolaid every weekend after attending one of these courses. I can also see how there are hundreds of gyms that have opened up in the last few years run by trainers who really don't know anything about training athletes. While successful completion of this course allows an individual to advertise him or herself as a Crossfit certified trainer and to open a Crossfit affiliate - in no way does this course qualify an individual to be a good coach.

I have not learned anything groundbreaking yet - though I have learned some good cues for coaching other athletes. Most of the notes I have taken are points that the instructors make that complement information that I have already read or picked up watching various videos or talking to different athletes and coaches throughout the years. Much of the information I have written down reinforces concepts I'm already familiar way but explains them in a logical, intuitive fashion that I think will be useful when explaining concepts to others in the future - I see the more as a glue that ties a lot of seemingly disparate concepts I've picked up in the last few years. I plan on typing up my notes sometime next week when I don't feel like doing any work. I won't be posting them here but I'd be happy to share them with you guys. Let me know if you're interested and I'll shoot you an email.