CrossFit Relaunches Specialty Courses with Aerobic Capacity, Weightlifting and Gymnastics

CrossFit LLC announced the relaunch of its specialty course program Monday, three years after it was discontinued in favor of a deregulated “preferred course” system. 

The first courses to be offered will include Aerobic Capacity, Weightlifting and Gymnastics, three of the mainstays and most popular of the original program.

One big thing: CrossFit trainers and athletes will once again be able to enroll in one and two-day courses administered through the CrossFit Training department and led by world-renowned subject matter experts. It will be easier for those interested to find and enroll in these courses and they will be in-person, hands-on and offered regularly. 

Remind me:  In 2019, Glassman and team removed the creation and execution of specialized training courses from CrossFit’s direct control.

• In place of the specialty courses, subject matter experts could create courses, pay a $5,000 licensing fee and apply for them to become “preferred courses.” 
• The goal was to free CrossFit up from administering these courses, while empowering the subject matter experts to exercise more freedom and control over their materials, registration fees, and schedules.

This overhaul was part of the same general trend that saw Sanctionals replace Regionals, but similarly to the more recent shift to Semifinals under the new management team, the relaunch of specialty courses represents a consolidation of control and oversight by CrossFit LLC. 

The details: Registration opened on April 4 and there are already four or more meetings scheduled for each course between the end of the month and early June. They are open to anyone. However, trainers with a CrossFit Level 1 (or higher) credential will earn a trainer certificate following completion of any CrossFit Specialty Course. Additionally, CCFTs are eligible to earn CEUs for attending these courses.  

• CrossFit Aerobic Capacity: The registration fee for this one-day course is US$349 and is run by Chris Hinshaw, founder of Aerobic Capacity and coach to some of the top athletes at the CrossFit Games. The course is appropriate for both coaches and athletes–from beginner to expert–who want to create a more robust and efficient aerobic system. 
• CrossFit Gymnastics: The registration fee for this two-day course is US$645 and is hosted by Nathan Bird, founder of The Gymnastics Course. The course is suitable for both coaches and athletes of any skill level and is designed to help participants understand gymnastics movement, improve coordination, and enhance coaching skills. 
• CrossFit Weightlifting: This two-day course also costs US$645 to register and is run by the Burgener Strength Team. It is designed to instruct coaches and athletes on how to teach and perform the snatch, clean, and jerk safely, efficiently, and effectively. 
• In the coming months, CrossFit plans to expand the specialty course offerings further.

The bottom line: This is an exciting development as the specialty courses were popular and offered a source of revenue to CrossFit that was also valuable to the community.