#150 - Arguing About Book Learning

Having a formal education in sports science, kinesiology, or a similar field may seem beneficial for a CrossFit coach. However, you might end up learning a lot of technical information without any context or knowledge of how to apply it. Conversely, you may develop extensive coaching experience and navigate situations in the moment with ease but lack the technical knowledge or critical thinking skills to tackle more complex challenges. This week's episode is all about striking a balance between being book-smart and having the coaching experience to handle situations effectively. We discuss Jon's background with a sports science degree, the drawbacks of an overly mechanistic view on training, and the importance of knowing what to communicate to athletes—and how to do so effectively. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Is book learning helpful in CrossFit [2:30] Jon's background doing a Sports Science degree [4:30] The gap between knowledge and a coaches eye [8:00] Being able to connect knowledge to context [10:00] Overly mechanistic view of biomechanics [12:30] Skepticism about biomechanical explanations [23:30] How to effectively filter your communication to athletes