USA Weightlifting Coach Cert vs Starting Strength Cert vs CrossFit Weightlifting Cert

[Mark Rippetoe]

No. The platform evaluation is first, and if you pass that you can take the exam. Nobody takes it several times, because we don't offer it several times.

[DJK]

I already have my NASM-CPT, FNS, WLS, BCS and a diploma in personal training from NPTI. Over the past year while earning these certs, I've come to realize how much I detest isolation machines. I never use them myself, so why would I want to train others to use something I don't even believe in? Although I've learned a lot along the way about anatomy, nutrition, weight loss, muscle actions, etc... I have no certification in olympic weightlifting and as much as I love doing CrossFit for myself, I don't trust their weekend certs to prepare me for anything - there's too many bad CrossFit coaches out there. Their method speaks for itself. The best CrossFit coaches I've ever seen, come from a background of extensive lifting experience.

So would it make sense to just go get my USA Weightlifting cert and then the Starting Strength one? How should one prepare to pass the Starting Strength cert before attending the seminar? Thanks.

[Lamneth]

No. The platform evaluation is first, and if you pass that you can take the exam. Nobody takes it several times, because we don't offer it several times.

This is interesting -- could you expand on that? For example, Kyle said:

Yes. I've been and bombed twice...

I think that he "bombed" (I'm sure he was actually pretty good) on the platform, not the exam. But are you saying that it's one-and-done for the exam? If someone passes the platform, takes the exam, and fails, that's it? I had been under the impression that people were free to go to another seminar, and try again. I've looked, but I haven't seen where the rules are spelled out all that clearly.

[Mark Rippetoe]

How should one prepare to pass the Starting Strength cert before attending the seminar? Thanks.

Read the books twice, read all the articles on the website, read all the posts on the website. Then coach the method for 2 years. After that, come to the seminar to take the evaluation. Or, come to the seminar to learn, and then go home with a better idea of what to prepare for.

I think that he "bombed" (I'm sure he was actually pretty good) on the platform, not the exam. But are you saying that it's one-and-done for the exam? If someone passes the platform, takes the exam, and fails, that's it? I had been under the impression that people were free to go to another seminar, and try again. I've looked, but I haven't seen where the rules are spelled out all that clearly.

We don't discuss our attendees' performance on this public forum. Once again, the exam is only given if you pass the coaching evaluation at the seminar. You have to show us that you can coach before you'll ever see the written exam. The standard is 80% to pass the exam. Depending on the circumstances, the quality of the failing exam, and solely at our discretion, we may offer a good coach an opportunity to audit the seminar and then take a makeup exam. This one is not easier. If this one is failed, you're through.

But anyone can repeat the seminar and try to pass the platform coaching evaluation as many times as you want to. You'll always learn something new.

[Tom Campitelli]

How should one prepare to pass the Starting Strength cert before attending the seminar?

The Path to the Starting Strength Coach Credential is what you want to read.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The Path to the Starting Strength Coach Credential is what you want to read.

Yes, I should have linked to that. Duh. And he should have already read it.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Yes, I should have linked to that. Duh.

That's why you have him as SSSecretary.

[Kyle Schuant]

I think that he "bombed" (I'm sure he was actually pretty good) on the platform, not the exam.

Correct. I can talk about the seminar experience, I don't know about the exam. Feel free to email me if you want to talk about it.

But are you saying that it's one-and-done for the exam? If someone passes the platform, takes the exam, and fails, that's it? I had been under the impression that people were free to go to another seminar, and try again. I've looked, but I haven't seen where the rules are spelled out all that clearly.

The webpages did previously say that if you failed the written exam, you could audit another seminar at no cost and retake it. Certainly this gave the impression you could redo it endlessly, provided you were willing to go to and sit through (it sounded like you wouldn't participate, just watch) more seminars.

They don't say that now. But probably the old pages is where we got that impression.

As Mark said, you keep going, you'll always learn something new. After all they do refine things from one seminar to the next.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The webpages did previously say that if you failed the written exam, you could audit another seminar at no cost and retake it.

No, Kyle, they never said that.

[MBasic]

No. The platform evaluation is first, and if you pass that you can take the exam. Nobody takes it several times, because we don't offer it several times.

Shit. You're a new at this making money thing. You could learn a to ng or two from the other associations...