The Quest to Become a Fitness Programmer

For the last three years I have been on a quest to being a CrossFit Programmer…without even knowing it.

I just recently launched a programming service/website, but the website has really been in the making for over three years. I can look back on three main events that took place in previous years, and I am just now realizing…wow I have really been on the quest to be a programmer for awhile.

Event 1:

I have a background in aviation so my brain craves structure, numbers and analysis. When I discovered CrossFit in 2009 I was shocked with the learning curve that came with this new realm of fitness I was entering.

Anyone who knows me well, knows I hate learning curves. Maybe that’s a weird thing to say, but if I have decided that I want to learn something and I want to be good at something, I don’t like for it to take too long, call it impatience.

When I discovered CrossFit I had to figure it out. I spent an entire weekend (seriously, the entire weekend) watching videos, learning the jargon and acronyms, figuring out how to dissect CrossFit workouts i.e. what was the purpose of singlets, couplets, chippers, AMRAPs and so on and so forth. I had to figure it out and I had to figure out how to tear it apart and personally customize it.

That was Event 1, and that is what has started it all. Treating CrossFit as a study, as opposed to just something I do.

Event 2:

Like I said I have a background in aviation. In one of my Advanced Aerodynamics classes I was getting bored of the lecture and was looking at my notes and textbook, which had a plethora of equations.

I knew the workout I would be doing later that evening, so I started using the equations I had to calculate work, volume, horsepower and any other formula I found applicable to CrossFit. I found that a lot of math is beneficial in CrossFit.

That was Event 2, and I only recently realized that most  people don’t put that much thought into their programming.

Event 3:

If you put this much effort into training and programming your friends and family are going to notice. They may even start to wonder why you spend so much time in excel spreadsheets and critiquing exercise videos.

Well that’s what happened. Close friends and family started to notice and the requests started to come in for programming. I was very passionate about it, so I did not hesitate to help. The only thing was, I had only ever done all of this stuff for myself, never for anyone else, until this last year.

Well I found that if I systematically taught someone how to move properly, applied intelligent programming designed for their capabilities and and encouraged them to work hard, the results always came…shocking or a no brainer? Not sure.

That was event 3, finding that the systems and hard work I put in place for myself actually work for other people if customized correctly.

Now, this is what I am after. I have a passion to learn, test and analyze and that is exactly what I am and will continue doing.

You can find out more about Jerred’s new programming website at End of Three F.I.T here