NEW SITE IS UP

PRESS HERE

Christmas Party December 3rd

Our annual Christmas party is almost here. Make sure you save the date for December 3rd at 6pm. Bring a side to share and a gift for secret santa(limit is $20) There will be some wine provided, but if you have a favorite you would like to bring and share, feel free! Attire is anything but sweaty gym clothes:) Dan and Sheri will be hosting at their house. There is a flyer at the gym with directions and details.

Attn. Coaches

USA Weightlifting

Sports Performance Coach Level 1 Certification

At CrossFit Spokane

Sat/Sun December 3-4

Registration deadline is Monday November 21

Register Here

A Good Trainer?

What makes a good coach or training facility?



The market is flooded with gyms, personal trainers, and fitness and nutrition products. So how is one to know what they are getting when they begin training with a coach, trainer or at a gym? Basically, it comes down to the experience of the coach or trainer which will more often than not dictate the quality.

Not so good

  

Experience come from many contact hours with a lot of people, in various settings, using a variety of movements and equipment over the course of many years. You could find a trainer or coach with every certification and/or degree under the sun, but they may not know their ass from their elbow when it comes to instructing movements, being personable to the client, effectively coaching a group of people or even knowing the “why” of the exercises you are doing. Here is a test, ask them why they are having you do a certain movement, why is it done in this particular way and how it can be modified? "Because" is not a good answer.

UUHHH, not so good

While I was attending a Strength and Conditioning mentorship with Mike Boyle 2 years ago, I was introduced to the idea of “10,000 hours of practice”. There is a book written by Malcolm Gladwell called Outliers. In his book Malcolm says that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in a field. Just so you have some reference to the volume of experience and training that is, one would have to dedicate 15hrs a week for 12yrs, 20hrs a week for 9 ½ years, 30hrs a week for 6 years or 40hrs a week for 4.8yrs. In the fitness or strength and conditioning field a trainer may have a certification or even better a 4 year degree. How many hours of experience is that? A 2 day weekend certification 12-16hrs, a 4 year degree 120 classroom hour, 240 internship hours; we are up to 376hrs of experience; that leaves 9,624 hour left.

 HOLLY CRAP, that's a big stone

 

So what is the point? The point is, are you getting what you paid for, hopefully experience and not just the shinny equipment. A great coach or trainer should have several “certs” but more importantly to you, experience.

  

Something to remember, a shinny new gym doesn’t correlate with good training, experience, knowledge or practice.

A perfect example of "Functional Stupidity", but a shinny gym.

If you like the post please leave a comment below

40lbs in 6 months

Jeff first week

Jeff second month

I reluctantly joined Crossfit Spokane, “Crossfat” as I call it, after being encouraged by a co-worker who is sold on your program.  I joined to get in better shape for water skiing.  The results were evident; I had the best water ski season in 25 years.  So why didn’t I stop participating in Crossfit once the water ski season began?  That is the question I ask myself every night when I leave your gym exhausted and wringing wet.  The answer is complicated, but lies in some combination of the results and the environment you have cultivated.  It is almost addictive.  I didn’t really think I was in that bad of shape when I joined, but before the first WOD was complete I knew otherwise.  You guys have addressed my special needs and seem to really know how to balance between pushing to success without pushing someone overboard.  Thank you, your staff and family for the knowledge and dedication.  I have been working out at your gym now for six or seven months and have lost over 40 pounds.  Now that we have worked off that weight I look forward to putting some of it back on in the form of muscle.

Thanks again, Jeff Van Leuven

--------------------------------------------------------

Jeff 40lbs lighter after 6 months