My Journey to CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2) Credential – Level Up

Yes, it is true! I Earned CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2) Credential.

As I mentioned in my earlier post My Journey to CrossFit Level 1 Trainer (CF-L1) Credential, fitness is a journey and can’t be a destination. Just like every other journey, milestones are very important in the journey of the fitness as well. They help us to dwell on our past and envision our future!

Today I am proud and happy to say that I have earned “CrossFit Level 2 Trainer” credential. It is an awesome!

Before you continue this blog post, I strongly suggest you read my earlier blog post where I discuss the history about what motivated to go for my journey of fitness.

Brief History – Lazy to Gym to Trainer

I used to be a huge and heavy guy and I started my journey of getting fit about a year ago. I have been enjoying CrossFit for a while and I realize that it is making a lot of difference in my positive healthy lifestyle. I was extremely unhealthy and often not able to perform life’s essential tasks as an individual. I used to depend a lot on my wife and my daughter for my daily routine and chores.

However, one fine day when then six years old (now seven) old daughter compared me to unhealthy cartoon character, I felt the need to move myself from my couch and start going to the gym. I was fortunate to encounter a gym, which had CrossFit class and it was my the first encounter with CrossFit.

CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2) Credential

I really loved CrossFit so much that in the February earlier this month, I had decided to become a CrossFit trainer by clearing level 1 credential. After becoming CrossFit Level 1 trainer, I saw tremendous changes in me. I was fitness aware and was able to spot learning opportunities in myself.

Finally, I decided to go to CrossFit Level 2 and level up my knowledge. I think I learned a lot in my Level 2 training and I feel like a whole different man after the training. I believe I can now easily spot the inefficiency and imperfection in the various movements and have learned how to correct each of them myself. I am now only a better trained, but an amazing trainee as well. I receive the instructions from my trainers very easily and implement them quite quickly to move to the next level.

As when I am writing this blog post there are only 29 CrossFit Level 2 Trainer in the entire India and I am fortunate to be one of them.

Why Not Traditional Gym?

Lots of people asked me what is CrossFit so here is the brief note about why do I do not like other gym/workout places.

Boring Treadmills

I find treadmills very much boring. They are great to get started, but after a while, I find them repetitive and boring.

Single Isolated Movements

After a while, I got bored from traditional gym’s single isolated movements. I felt when I used some instruments, I am just moving the same muscles again and again. I realized that some muscles were getting trained more, but the others were still not moving a bit.

No Community – All Alone All the Time

When I started to go to traditional gyms with workout equipments, I feel I am all alone. There are no community and no friends. I felt the people around me just focusing on their own business and there was a strange loneliness at the gym.

Well, above three reasons were enough for me to search something more and look for alternative to them where I can get more comprehensive training with community.

Why CrossFit?

CrossFit is constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. Yes, that is the official definition.

Here are the primary reasons, I love CrossFit.

• Community – It has an amazing community built around it. You feel like home when you go to CrossFit Group Class.
• Instructors – CrossFit instructors understand the invidiuals needs and limitation and scale up/down workout as needed.
• Olympic Weight Lifting – Since I started weight lifting I realized how much potential I had which was untapped.
• Amazing Workout Of the Day (WOD) – Every day there is different workout. In last one year there has not been a single day where I have worked plan which I had done earlier. Every single time new workout and the possibilities of the customization is unlimited.
• Improvement in Health – I have lost lots of weight and I am just much healthier than before. I can accomplish the daily routine easily, but am able to help others when needed.
• Inclusive and Comprehensive – CrossFit is for everyone. There are exercises for everyone for your kid, yourself, your spouse, your parents and everyone. There are no restrictions and everyone can  join and progress.
• Worldwide Availability – I travel a lot due to my work. So far I have visited 6 different countries and visited 8 different CrossFit Boxes (Box is the word used for CrossFit Gym or Workout Area).

CrossFit Components of Fitness

Crossfit is built on following 10 components of Fitness

1. Cardiovascular / Respiratory Endurance – body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.
2. Stamina – body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
3. Strength – a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
4. Flexibility – maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
5. Power – a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6. Speed – minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7. Coordination – combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
8. Agility – minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
9. Balance – control the placement of the body’s center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10. Accuracy – control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.

Every single movement is a combination of the element listed above.

CrossFit 9 Fundamental Movements

1. Squat
2. Front Squat
3. Overhead Squat
4. Press
5. Push Press
6. Push Jerk
7. Deadlift
8. Sumo Deadlift High Pull
9. Medicine Ball Clean

Here is the video which talks about 9 different fundamental movements of the CrossFit.

I strongly encourage everyone to try CrossFit and see if it is for you.

Reference: Pinal Dave (http://blog.SQLAuthority.com)