What to Expect at Parisi Certification Week

As you prepare for your upcoming Parisi Certification week, you might have some questions…

Is this worth my time?

Will I be the least athletic one there?

Will I be the MOST athletic one there?

Is the test impossible to pass?

These are just a few of the things that ran through my mind the weeks before I attended the Parisi Certification Week at Parisi Speed School in Morristown, NJ. While this article may not answer ALL of your questions, I hope it will shine light on what you can expect and, more importantly, excite you for the great experience you are about to have.

Expect to sweat (and be sore).

This might be a no-brainer, but let me stress the intensity of certification training. This is not your standard training certification where you read a book, memorize some buzzwords and take a test. The Parisi Certification is hands on in every aspect of education.

Think I’m exaggerating? On day one of certification, the Active Dynamic Warm Up alone took us about an hour to go over. That doesn’t mean sitting in a classroom talking about each movement and how to perform it properly; It means getting down on the turf and performing each movement until everyone has a good understanding of not only the form, but the purpose of each movement.

To my point, every single person in my group was sweating and out of breath after we finished – and we didn’t even go all out or do all the exercises. This was a group of Crossfitters, college athletes, powerlifters, bodybuilders… and still everyone was challenged in one way or another.

Now, that being said, this is not meant to scare you off, but rather prepare you for the level of activity. Of course it is encouraged to do only what you are capable of and comfortable with doing, but it is encouraging to see people of all ages and backgrounds pushing outside of their comfort zones to try something new and really embrace the Parisi way of training.

Throughout your certification week, you will participate in all of the classes offered in Parisi programming – Acceleration, Top Speed, Change of Direction and Strength Training. Yes, you will be sore, but yes, it will be worth it.

Expect to get competitive.

Sports are competitive. Athletes are competitive. It goes without saying that a week of training with people from various backgrounds and perspectives on health and fitness will get pretty competitive, but that only enhances the experience.

Any Parisi coach will tell you that their young athletes typically perform better when their skills are utilized in a competitive game format. The same goes for anyone participating in certification week. This is how EVERYONE improves, no matter what level of athleticism.

Your understanding of the program will improve.

Your technique will improve.

Your delivery will improve.

That is truly what this experience is about. It’s not about being perfect by the end of the week – you won’t be – it’s about improving a little bit each day.

Expect to use your brain.

If you are an experienced trainer, you might expect this to be a cake walk. Your expectation would be wrong.

Certification Week is not just a demonstration of the exercises and class formats. It’s about fully understanding ALL that is Parisi. But what does that mean?

Yes, it means being able to recall and perform specific movements on command, but it also means fully understanding why each movement was chosen for each program.

It means learning about the Parisi history (the good AND the bad) and understanding that YOU are now a part of the Parisi story.

It means reflecting on your purpose and imagining the great impact that your Parisi Speed School could have on your community.

You will quickly come to see that not only is Parisi Certification Week about physical improvement and business development, but also personal reflection and growth.

Expect to be overwhelmed.

I’d be very surprised if you weren’t feeling at least a little overwhelmed by day three – and that’s okay! The amount of information thrown at you in such a short time period is enough to make anyone freak out a little, but as mentioned earlier, you’re not expected to be perfect.

Parisi Certification Week is a breeding ground for new connections, new ideas and big dreams. You will be pushed to embrace a method of training that may seem a little foreign to you, but you will also be motivated by stories of how the Parisi program has changed the lives of many owners, coaches and even more young athletes.

Expect to be inspired.

The greatest takeaway of the Parisi Certification is inspiration. Even if you are greatly motivated now to make your Parisi Speed School a transformative place for young athletes, you’ll leave this week with an even greater sense of purpose.

Take advantage of every opportunity to hear others’ stories and learn from their experiences. Reflect on why you decided to join Parisi Nation and push yourself to give your all to that purpose each and every day.

Do this, and you will walk away not only as a better coach or business owner, but as a better person.