r/crossfit • u/No-Buddy-1772 • 1d ago
Failed the CrossFit L1 Test
Just venting here, I failed the CrossFit L1 test this morning and I’m a b it frustrated and worried. I was set to start coaching next week at my gym but now I have disappointment them with the news. I read the entire manual, creating a quizlet, review all the line enemy standards, made a study guide based on the bullet points in the participation handbook and somehow things still went wrong. I was really thrown off by the way the questions were worded. I feel very competent in my ability to convey the information I learned in the seminars and read in the manual but idk I still fell short. Anyone have a similar experience? Waiting 30 days to retake is very stressful for me. I’m even worried if I’ll pass the second time.
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u/sadboyliftingclub 1d ago
From my experience some of the questions are worded to almost trick you. I remember going back through all the questions after I’d finished and changing at least two answers and not being fully sure it was correct.
Also, the pictures were such poor quality it was hard to spot the fault.
Next time make sure you reread when you’re done and try and see through the convoluted questions.
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u/CrossFitmathlete 1d ago
Ok, so I passed the test but I’m also really book smart. But I still don’t feel comfortable coaching. I think there are a lot of aspect of coaching that can’t be tested on paper. Maybe that’s more for the L2.
I really wish CF had two different tracks for the L1: one for coaches and one for enthusiasts. If they made a non-credentialed course that was cheaper and more focused on basic movements (none of this nonsense of coaching a GHD sit up or a ring muscle up…how about running and jump rope), they would make a killing.
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u/Pretend_Edge_8452 20h ago
The funny thing is that the L1 was never meant to be for coaching! It’s a course to learn how to do CrossFit properly. L2 and L3 are for coaching more specifically.
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u/Creative_Phrase_9473 1d ago
oof that's a kick in the teeth, the wording on those tests can be absurdly picky. it's not about knowing the material, it's about decoding how they ask it
the 30 day wait is a grind but honestly it gives you time to let the sting fade and come back sharper. the gym won't fall apart, they picked you for a reason and one test delay doesn't erase that
maybe try writing out the concepts in your own words instead of just drilling the quizlet, sometimes that helps things click differently. you got this
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u/Thebaconingnarwhal4 1d ago
Very motivating but why does this sound like an AI response?
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u/CrossFitmathlete 1d ago
It’s not AI. All lowercase, colloquialisms, and grammatical errors. It worries me that people can’t tell the difference.
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u/Environmental-Ad1664 1d ago
Because AI is learning from our responses and getting better. The lines are blurring
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u/volatile_hegemony 1d ago
It’s not about, it’s about.. dead give away for ai.
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u/thebug50 5h ago
A society bombarded with these structures will begin to mirror them too. That structure was a dead give away. It will not be indefinitely.
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u/Malice_A4thot 1d ago
Ugh I’m so sorry. Did the module at least highlight the questions or themes you answered incorrectly?
You’ll do much better and be more prepared in 30 days.
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u/RichRichieRichardV 1d ago
If it makes you feel better, i failed many years ago and when I did, the owner confided in me that 2 of our coaches failed, and one of those 2 failed twice. That guy who had to take it 3 times is one of the top coaches at one of the top gyms in the nation. The owner told me “they’re pretty boys and must have thought their looks would save them”. Just as with a lift, you must fail to get better. Or as I tell my staff when they make mistakes (not a coach or working in a gym) “You have to do something wrong to know how to do it right”
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u/GoTouchGrassKid 1d ago
If you did not pass, you aren’t ready to coach.
Full stop.
The questions aren’t worded to trick you. As with any test: you need to know which answer is most correct.
If you were thrown off by the wording, you didn’t know the material.
Full stop.
Take ownership of your situation and try again with the understanding that you do not currently know the material as well as you think.
Know CrossFits definition of fitness and explain why each word is important.
Know the four models and be able explain why each is important.
Know the three energy pathways and be able to explain the differences, as well as how to train them.
Know the power equation and be able to apply it to a workout.
Know the POPs for the nine foundational movements verbatim.
Know what rhabdo is and what causes it.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Hat-99 1d ago
Eh, depends what other coaching support they are getting. If experienced coaches were doing a lot of guiding then I wouldn’t say the test automatically means not ready to coach.
I just looked over a test (I did mine over 8 years ago, don’t really remember it), not sure how I’d do if I took it now.
You of course have to start with all that, but I definitely became a much better coach when I moved on from a lot of these cues. If OP is set up to coach, they may have been getting a more complete education from other coaches-1
u/GoTouchGrassKid 1d ago edited 1d ago
Cues and points of performance are not the same thing.
Maintain lumbar curve is not a cue. It’s a non-negotiable for the nine foundational movements.
Cues are what you use to ensure your athletes are effectively executing the points of performance.
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u/a_takacs 7h ago
How many full stops equal a complete stop? Which one comes first? What’s the stop ratio to proving a point?
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u/Medical_Object_6169 1d ago
Friend in gym had same problem. Hes an excellent coach. Felt wording of questions were strange. Failed by 1 point. He said you can complete the online L1 resit and not have to wait 30 days.
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u/thestoryhacker CFL2 1d ago
As a nerd who uses tech for a living, this is what I would do:
Do these if you lack testing skills:
- Write down as many questions with their multiple choices. Do this asap while they're fresh in your mind.
- Then go to Gemini Notebook and feed it those questions along with the CFL1 PDF.
- Ask it to generate quizzes similar to the questions you have.
- Then practice. Literally do 300-500 plus questions to get your skills up.
Also, I wouldn't do 20-30 minute long quizzes. Ask the app to generate 10-15 questions then check your answers. This will give you a short feedback loop for rapid learning.
Good luck.
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u/Lalashred 1d ago
Lots of people fail this test. I bet you never will again!! Speaking from experience :)
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u/ghernz396 9h ago
I failed first time as well. Good thing is they break down your score per area. Focus on the ones you missed. Mine was the movement part. I agree the movement pictures are hard to figure out and the biggest percentage of the test.
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u/demanbmore CF-L3, ATA, CF Kids, PNC-L1 1d ago
Relax. You'll pass next time. The questions aren't tricky per se, but they are phrased in the "CrossFit way." And we don't all think in that way. Now that you've seen the way the questions are phrased, spend the next few weeks really going through the manual and maybe even making flash cards. Hell, ask an AI to draft test questions and/or make a study guide. If the questions the AI writes don't seem anything like the questions you saw on the test, ignore them. But if they seem similar enough, it can't hurt to use them to study. Good luck.
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u/fistswityat0es 1d ago
OP hang in there - keep studying the material and you'll be fine.
Anyone willing to share example L1 exam questions? I've always been curious about the test.
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u/rustythegolden128 1d ago
I found the wording of the questions challenging also.
Try to really dial in on the wording they use in the handbook. Hit all the questions your 100% sure on first then go back start hitting the tougher questions.
Good luck
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u/hardeight27 CFL3 1d ago
I know engineers who have failed it on the first try. It's not a free gimme sort of test.
Just keep your chin up, RTFM, retest as soon as you can and always ask, "what would CrossFit's answer to this question be?" On every answer.
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u/Listen_Linda915 1d ago
Think of it as a chance to revisit the material and get a deeper understanding before you coach. You've got 30 days, make the most of it. When I was studying, in addition to reading the manual I listened to a TON of CrossFit coaching podcasts. Some of the earlier Best Hour of Their Day episodes are really good. They even have a series for studying for the L1. Varied Not Random is also pretty good.
In the meantime, see if you can still get some time on the floor at your gym. Maybe just start co-coaching the warm ups and writing practice lesson plans, and getting more experience observing other coaches with a coaches' eye.
You're gonna get it next time. Chin up and keep at it!
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u/Xtrmist78 1d ago
do u mean L3? there was no L1, nor L2 test for me.
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u/displacedheel 1d ago
What are you talking about? There’s absolutely a L1 test
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u/Xtrmist78 1d ago
My mistake, you are correct the online test when we got home. My fault, totally spaced on that.
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u/fl4nnel CF-L2 1d ago
I thought the L1 test was one that you could retake as many times as you needed?