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Bodyweight Should I register for a spring bodyweight cert?

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Kate Hardy

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I’m looking for some advice as the discount deadline rapidly approaches for the Bodyweight Cert at the end of May in Boston. Here are the details of my dilemma:

1. Local (i.e. Boston) certifications are ideal for me right now and I don’t know how often the Bodyweight cert comes back around. Don’t want to wait and find it won’t be back in my area for years.

2. Just passed my SFG 1 at the end of September and am hungry for some more StrongFirst knowledge, plus a Bodyweight cert could be invaluable to my clients.

3. The flip side to this was that it took me *years* to finally take the SFG cert because I’m a planner (and a bit of a worrier) and wanted to have the skills 100% down before attending.

4. As far as Bodyweight skills go, I’m good with the pull up. OAPU is on a railing and no lower. Pistol is my nemesis due to ankle and hip mobility and strength.

5. I know I can test the skills after the cert but wouldn’t have attended my SFG “not ready” under any circumstances - it felt disrespectful to me to not have done my due diligence and understood what skills would be tested and then train properly for them. (Just my opinion.)

6. The Bodyweight Course seems like a more reasonable place for me to start but we’re back to #1. Local is best and I don’t know how often that course comes around my area. Don’t see any on the docket as of now.
 
I’m looking for some advice as the discount deadline rapidly approaches for the Bodyweight Cert at the end of May in Boston. Here are the details of my dilemma:

1. Local (i.e. Boston) certifications are ideal for me right now and I don’t know how often the Bodyweight cert comes back around. Don’t want to wait and find it won’t be back in my area for years.

2. Just passed my SFG 1 at the end of September and am hungry for some more StrongFirst knowledge, plus a Bodyweight cert could be invaluable to my clients.

3. The flip side to this was that it took me *years* to finally take the SFG cert because I’m a planner (and a bit of a worrier) and wanted to have the skills 100% down before attending.

4. As far as Bodyweight skills go, I’m good with the pull up. OAPU is on a railing and no lower. Pistol is my nemesis due to ankle and hip mobility and strength.

5. I know I can test the skills after the cert but wouldn’t have attended my SFG “not ready” under any circumstances - it felt disrespectful to me to not have done my due diligence and understood what skills would be tested and then train properly for them. (Just my opinion.)

6. The Bodyweight Course seems like a more reasonable place for me to start but we’re back to #1. Local is best and I don’t know how often that course comes around my area. Don’t see any on the docket as of now.
I would register as it isn’t in your area often and the 6 month post Cert is set for a reason as many need extra time. As for your mobility and strength, I can help you with that. Feel free to email me at karensmithmsfg@gmail.com and we can set a time to chat in more detail.
Thanks
Karen Smith
 
5. I know I can test the skills after the cert but wouldn’t have attended my SFG “not ready” under any circumstances - it felt disrespectful to me to not have done my due diligence and understood what skills would be tested and then train properly for them. (Just my opinion.)

I get where you are coming from here, but you maybe missing out on valuable opportunities for coaching. Besides working with and SF certified instructor, the cert's are the best place to get coached. I went into my SFB knowing I couldn't do a OAOLPU - hell I could barely do it with both feet - after working for 3-4 months at it. After getting coached at the cert, I had it down pat and passed the test after just under 6 weeks of training. I learned which weaknesses I had that needed focus and more skill practice.

Please don't confuse "100% locked in" with "confident in the lifts". Confidence is enough - go ready to learn and use that knowledge to get the last bit of the way there.
 
I envy you that your concern is not having certs come to your side of town often :)

I would suggest taking up Karen's offer and if you can, get a few sessions in hands-on with an instructor to help plug in the holes to get you closer to the requirements to help build your confidence.

Remember that not passing on the weekend does not make you less of an instructor or a person, it just means you need more time to unlock the skill.
 
Point 4 - Get an FMS screening for your ankle and hip mobility issues as soon as possible. There are a lot of certified FMS practitioners in Massachusetts.
 
Thanks so much everyone for you replies.

wespom9, just the idea of being around the StrongFirst trainers and knowing how much knowledge I would gain is what made me look into the cert in the first place. You're absolutely right that that's a good enough reason... and I did consider that I'd be picking up info there that I could then take back to my training.

Boosh32, good idea. I'll definitely do that.

And everyone who suggested getting in touch with Karen, you're right! I have contacted her and am weighing my options right now. You're votes of confidence are definitely pushing me a bit over the fence toward doing it. ;)

Thanks again everyone!
 
I’m looking for some advice as the discount deadline rapidly approaches for the Bodyweight Cert at the end of May in Boston. Here are the details of my dilemma:

1. Local (i.e. Boston) certifications are ideal for me right now and I don’t know how often the Bodyweight cert comes back around. Don’t want to wait and find it won’t be back in my area for years.

2. Just passed my SFG 1 at the end of September and am hungry for some more StrongFirst knowledge, plus a Bodyweight cert could be invaluable to my clients.

3. The flip side to this was that it took me *years* to finally take the SFG cert because I’m a planner (and a bit of a worrier) and wanted to have the skills 100% down before attending.

4. As far as Bodyweight skills go, I’m good with the pull up. OAPU is on a railing and no lower. Pistol is my nemesis due to ankle and hip mobility and strength.

5. I know I can test the skills after the cert but wouldn’t have attended my SFG “not ready” under any circumstances - it felt disrespectful to me to not have done my due diligence and understood what skills would be tested and then train properly for them. (Just my opinion.)

6. The Bodyweight Course seems like a more reasonable place for me to start but we’re back to #1. Local is best and I don’t know how often that course comes around my area. Don’t see any on the docket as of now.

There is a good exercise from modern Stoicism that helps make this kind of decision.
What is the worst thing that could happen?

- You would learn a ton of stuff from great people (an SFG leader recently told me that the bodyweight cert is the most underated one in his opinion because it makes everything better), don't get your pistol in six months or cert and spend some money. Even if you couldn't do a pistol you would have your one arm pushup and be able to coach the pistol better probably. You sould also have the tools to get there in the future. If money is a big factor, what could you earn/save by this Spring in order to make the cost irrelevant as a factor. Downside minimal.
- Best outcome. You learn at the cert. You get to work with Karen. You pass the cert. You gain a whole new/improved skillset and you are on your way to StrongFirst Elite status. Upside huge.
 
Point 4 - Get an FMS screening for your ankle and hip mobility issues as soon as possible. There are a lot of certified FMS practitioners in Massachusetts.

Yes, this is useful advice. I scored one point lower on my left shoulder. Worked on it for a month and retested back to all twos. I still pay more attention to my left shoulder. The result was useful. I thought my results would be terrible but they were better than some people much younger than myself, particularly core. Almost got a 1. Scale is 1 to 3. You can't always trust your intuition.
 
Good points, @guardian7. I didn’t think of looking at it that way and the whole reason I started considering the cert was because of the amazing learning experience I had at my sfg...not because I passed. Cost is definitely the largest deterrent. The facility I work at is currently revisiting their certification reimbursement policy so that may come into play...but I’ve got about 24 Joe’s to decide before losing that early bird rate.

And I did get an FMS done yesterday...very eye opening. Turns out some thing I thought were right are actually weak and ankle mobility is good, calves are causing my restrictions. But I’ve got a direction to go now.

Thanks so much for your input.
 
Thanks so much, Anna. After reading your SFG Prep article here, I checked out your Instagram while I was training for that... I'll be sure to go back and check out your SFB prep work. I've already made huge strides on my pistol, I need to get a better handle on the OAPU, so anything I can watch or read regarding that I will be doing.

Thanks again!
 
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