We’d like to introduce Athletic Levels at CrossFit Littleton. If you click the link above you can view an outline of Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Elite Levels. There are several purposes we hope to accomplish by publishing such a template:

1.) It’s a common question for clients, whether they voice it or not, to wonder where they exist in the spectrum relative to the athletes in the gym and within the larger CrossFit community (understand that this template is primarily designed around our gym and our clients). While it’s impossible to quantify everything in a chart, we feel these requirements are a good start and can lend a frame of reference.

2.) After training for some time, we all wonder what’s next or where we should be going from here. Looking to the next level up on the chart may lend some guidance and focus to training.

3.) Slowly, over 2012 we will be applying the names Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced to classes at the gym. First, the Skills Classes will become “Beginner Class”. Many of the other classes will be mixed levels, primarily “Beginner/Intermediate” for now (the bulk of the gym’s populous falls into the Beginner/Intermediate categories on the levels sheet so it only makes sense to have the majority of the existing classes reflect this). We will also be adding a couple of “Advanced Classes” within the coming months. There are a number of athletes within our community that are ready for an advanced class or are getting close. We hope that this will not only be stimulating for clients that are reaching a higher level of achievement in the gym (as well as provide a higher level of service) but that it will also inspire the clients who are not as developed and give them something to shoot for or aspire to.

The “Open Class” format works just fine and by the end of the year we still intend to have classes that are all levels. However, it’s not necessarily the highest level of service to you, the athletes of CrossFit Littleton. Sometimes you may like to have a class/classes on the schedule where you know you will be training with other clients who are similar in ability to yourself. For people newer to the gym it can be intimidating to come to a class where they are the newbie and the other 5 clients are 2 year veterans. If you’re an intermediate athlete that is plateauing a bit and wondering “what’s next?” or “what am I training for?” seeing other athletes in an advanced class doing advanced skills, big lifts and working on new movements might help to fuel the fire and help you refocus.

Of course it’s impossible to make a perfect template or list of requirements. We may change or add or remove some things. But it’s a start and we hope that you guys find value in it. We are excited to bring new classes and programs to our CFL athletes in 2012!