CF-L4 General Questions and Preparation

CF-L4 GENERAL QUESTIONS AND PREPARATION

1. When and how will we be notified once we are able to register for the Level 4 evaluation?
a. We will notify people that the L4 is open for registration through our waitlist. If you have signed up for
the waitlist, you will receive an email when registrations go live in mid-December. To join the waitlist,
click here. After the initial release of registration, individuals should check the Level 4 page for
additionally posted evaluations.

2. If a trainer signs up immediately in January, what would you suggest they work on within the next two
months?
a. We recommend looking at the CrossFit Trainer Directory and seeing if there is a current CF-L4 in
your area. Reach out to them and ask if they offer mentorship opportunities or the option to shadow a
class. Additionally, utilize the Content Outline to direct your study and preparation. The Content Outline
provides the exact elements you will be evaluated on and is located in the Candidate Handbook.

3. Is there a recommendation for how many hours of coaching (or months of coaching) a candidate should
teach after passing the L3 before taking the Level 4?
a. There is no specific recommendation for the number of hours of coaching a coach should complete prior
to taking the Level 4 evaluation. We do recommend that coaches commit a designated three- to six-month
month period to specifically prepare for the evaluation. This time frame would include dedicated study
and preparation using the Content Outline and coaching group classes as a training ground.

4. What other mentorship opportunities or avenues do you recommend if there are no Level 4 Coaches in
your area?
a. We recommend working with coaches at your affiliate or in your area. Ask for feedback based on the
Content Outline. Observe classes. Self-assessment can also play a role in preparation. Video your
coaching and determine if you are effectively hitting each subdomain. Additionally, find affiliates in
your community that run coach development programs for their staff and ask how you can participate.
Finally, there are many online and in-person resources available to CrossFit coaches. Once you have
identified the areas you need to work on, identify an online or in-person offering. Examples include
Teaching Movement and The Coaches Development Program.

5. Where are the host locations for the evaluation?

a. The initial host locations are at affiliates near:
i. Denver, Colorado.
ii. Seattle, Washington.
iii. Austin, Texas.
iv. Atlanta, Georgia.

6. How much of a heads-up do we receive before the evaluation is scheduled? Can we pick our evaluation
dates?
a. You will register online for your evaluation date. It will be a specific single date so you will know the day
of your evaluation based on what you sign up for. Your evaluation times (the specific times you teach the
classes) will be released 48 hours before your evaluation day.

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CF-L4 General Questions and Preparation

7. Working with unfamiliar athletes in an unfamiliar box is very different from coaching known athletes
with their individual abilities/limitations. Does the exam take this factor into account?
a. The Level 4 evaluation is designed to assess and determine the best coaches in our industry. The
successful candidate will have the expertise and ability to coach athletes of all abilities in various
settings and with varying levels of knowledge about each athlete’s abilities. To that end, there is no
advantage or disadvantage to coaching athletes a coach is familiar with or who are new to them.
b. The evaluation is based on the content outline and evaluation criteria that specifically assess what the
candidate is coaching and the improvements they make relative and specific to each athlete. With this
criteria, a determination of effective or ineffective can be made for any environment, setting, and group
of athletes.
c. Comfort and complacency are dangerous when taking any evaluation. It should not matter if you have
coached someone for 1,000 hours or if this is the athlete’s first CrossFit class; effective coaches will have
the ability to improve every athlete.
d. In many ways, this evaluation is the culmination of years of knowledge, practice, accountability,
and improvement. The well-prepared candidate will come wired tight and prepared for any and all
contingencies.

8. Will I receive feedback on my performance following the evaluation, regardless of if I pass or fail?
a. You will not receive feedback on-site. Your official results will be sent via email after the evaluation. This
will be followed by a diagnostic score report in a separate message if you do not pass the evaluation.
The diagnostic score report will include the domains you failed and specific feedback from the
evaluation and areas to improve. We will expand this to individuals who pass the evaluation in the first
half of 2023.

9. What is the renewal process for the L4, and will CEUs be required?
a. Here are the recertification requirements for the Level 4:
i. 50 CEUs.
ii. 300 coaching hours.
iii. Current CPR/AED training .
iv. The credential is valid for three years.

10. Is the Level 4 evaluation offered internationally? And will it be available in the candidate’s native
language?
a. At this point in time, the evaluation is offered in the United States and in English only. We plan to
expand to Europe in the first half of 2023 and to additional continents in future years. We will work to
develop non-English raters as our pool of Level 4 Coaches in the community grows, as holding a Level 4
credential is one of many requirements for each rater. Realistically, this will take some time, but our aim
is to offer some evaluations in languages other than English in 2024.
b. If you do not want to travel to the United States, you can request a private evaluation and raters can
travel anywhere in the world to do the evaluation, in English. Additional fees, such as travel fees, will be
added to the cost of the evaluation. Details on the private evaluation will be emailed to the waitlist when
this option is finalized.

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11. What is the value/cost of the certification?

a. $1,500.

12. When we register, will the full $1,500 be due at that time or is there an option to pay over time?
a. Candidates can choose from two payment options: 1) Pay in full, 2) Utilize Klarna to pay in installments.

13. If my CCFT expires before I can test (or retest) for the L4, what happens?
a. There will be limited availability of the L4 evaluation, and CrossFit can not guarantee a spot in this
evaluation. As a temporary option, there is a 90-day grace period following CCFT expiration to attempt
to obtain the CF-L4 credential. If you do not pass the evaluation or are unable to obtain an evaluation
appointment during this time frame, you must complete the CCFT recertification process prior to the
end of the grace period. There are no extensions allowed beyond the 90 days, and you will no longer be
eligible to take the L4 evaluation.
b. Additionally, if you allow your CCFT to expire beyond the 90-day grace period and your L2 is expired,
you will be required to revalidate your L2 in order to be eligible for the CCFT.

14. Can this evaluation help a candidate get on Seminar Staff?

a. At this time, the current job requirement for applying to Seminar Staff is to hold a Level 3 credential.
Having higher credentials is not required but would strengthen an application.

15. What is the process for taking the evaluation again if you fail? Is there a waiting period?
a. Candidates who fail the evaluation can sign up to retake the evaluation at any time — there is no waiting
period to retake the evaluation.

16. Achieving the L4 has been one of my biggest goals since the day I started coaching. That said, between
the cost of the exam and travel, this will be an expense that I won’t be able to incur too many times if
I’m not successful the first time. Can you address this concern?
a. With any evaluation, there is a risk that a candidate will not pass. It’s important to distinguish the Level
4 as something different from an educational program. The Level 4 is the proving ground where you
show what you can do. It’s successfully performing the surgery on your own after passing the MCAT and
going to med school. The education, study, and refinement of your coaching is the process you undergo
before taking the evaluation — it is the long course of study. It’s the Levels 1, 2, and 3, specialty courses,
mentorship, online courses, and daily practice.
b. The Level 4 is the culmination of that study and application. For many, it is the pinnacle of achievement
in proving one’s expertise in their field. The work and process that go into the desired result drive the
education and represent the breadth and depth of their expertise.
c. Our recommendation would be to pursue more educational opportunities now and invest in yourself as
a coach, and the value and decision of whether or not to take the Level 4 will become clear during that
process.

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CF-L4 General Questions and Preparation

EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. How far in advance will we receive the workouts in order to prepare a class plan?
a. 48 hours in advance, via email.

2. What parts of the workout are set? For example: Do we make up the warm-up or is it provided?
a. The only information given regarding the class is the workout. The candidate is responsible for running
the class however they see fit to execute the assigned workout under the umbrella of the six domains.

3. Is time allocated for us to “learn the gym”? For example: Where their 400-m run route is (if necessary),
number of rowers, etc.?
a. Candidates can and are encouraged to visit the gym in advance. This can be the day before or in the 30
minutes prior to the evaluation. As long as the candidate does not interrupt the regular flow of the class
and affiliate, they are permitted to visit in advance.

4. Is there a requirement to provide a lesson plan to the raters before our class?
a. No. Raters cannot look at any documentation or prepared notes or give guidance at the evaluation.
b. Candidates are allowed to reference written notes/plans during their evaluation. Written lesson plans
are not required but are allowed.

5. Is there a cap on the class size?

a. Seven to 15 people. Candidates should prepare for seven to 15 athletes per class; the exact number of
athletes will depend on how many show up for that class.

6. If I have movement restrictions and cannot demo a certain movement, will I know who I can rely on in
class to help?
a. Candidates can help identify athletes they will use for demonstration in the 30 minutes before the
evaluation when athletes are checking in for the workout. During this time, the candidate can introduce
themselves, and it would be appropriate at this time to determine who they will use to demonstrate
certain movements.

7. Do we get to select our own tunes during the workouts?

a. Yes!

8. Will the evaluation be recorded?

a. No.

9. Is there a video recording of a Level 4 evaluation to demonstrate the structure?

a. There will not be a video of a sample of the L4 evaluation. This is because there is more than one way to
coach a successful class. Professional coaches should analyze the Content Outline and structure their
class to meet the evaluation criteria rather than aim to mimic an example.
b. There will be coach development content periodically released through various CrossFit channels (e.g.,
TPC, CAP, EOD, online courses, etc.) that should be considered helpful in preparation for the evaluation,
but there will not be an identified example of what we are looking for in the L4 evaluation.

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