If you haven’t heard, as of Monday 11/12/12 CrossFit Inc has hit 5,000 affiliates worldwide. Yes WORLDWIDE. In a 2011 video on CrossFit.com, Greg Glassman explains about the international growth of CrossFit and how “40% of the revenue is from outside of the U.S”. This shows great growth from outside the U.S while maintaining the strongest market within the U.S. In 2009, there were roughly 1,500 CrossFit affiliates. In a 3 year span, you are looking at CrossFit growing at 3.2 boxes per day. That’s silly. In an article published in the CrossFit Journal in 2009 titled “The Business of CrossFit”, Marty Cej writes: “CrossFit Inc. is variously portrayed as a fitness company, a grassroots health movement, a nascent sport, a fad, a publishing business and sometimes, disparagingly, a cult. Whatever the description, a few things are certain: CrossFit is hugely profitable, and its growth has only accelerated during the worst economic downturn since the 1930’s. That’s something very few companies—fitness or otherwise—can claim.”
(CrossFit.com-affiliate finder)
Lets take a look at the competitive side of CrossFit: The Games
The CrossFit Games started in 2007 with 123 athletes competing for the title “Fittest on Earth” (no open, no regional’s .In 2008, 300 people competed with over 800 fans at “the ranch” to watch. In 2009 there was a regional event it was open to international competition where the competition was narrowed it down to 146 athletes competing. In 2010 there were sectionals, regional’s and the games in Carson California at the Home Depot Center with a $25,000 cash prize. In 2011 they had the first ever “CrossFit open” where athletes can compete from anywhere, send in the video of the WOD and hope to make the regional’s. 26,000 people competed in the open in 2011 with a now, $250,000 cash prize for the winner. In 2012, more then 70,000 competed in the CrossFit open. So in a 2 year span from when the open was introduced, the number of competitors has more then doubled. The growth of THE SPORT OF FITNESS is larger then ever and it has done so in a very short time. Why is that? We will discuss this soon.
Measurable fitness:
CrossFit defines fitness as an Increase in Work Capacity through broad time and modal domains. Work capacity is the ability to perform real physical work as measured by force x distance / time (which is average power). Fitness is this ability in as many domains as possible.-Greg Glassman
Now if we take a look at this from a measurable standpoint, P=FxD/T so, if we were to take this equation we could apply our fitness gains to see Measurable, quantitative results. Fitness isn’t just measured in aesthetics or how much weight you can lift or how fast you can run a mile (but this applies and is important), it can be measured through how much power you are putting out. Power is also interchangeable with the word “intensity”. Typically, the more power you are putting out, the higher your intensity is. Move large loads, long distances as quickly as possible, simply put.
So lets apply this to fitness. We take a WOD, lets say “Cindy” which is 5 pull ups, 10 push ups and 15 Air Squats. This is done as a 15 minute AMRAP (As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes). So lets take a novice and have them do “Cindy”. Maybe they do jumping or band pull ups, push ups from their knees and air squats from a box. A scaled version of the WOD, yet relative. They do 10 rounds. 3 months go by and this WOD is retested. They have now graduated to kipping pull ups, push ups from their toes and full Air Squats. They now do 16 rounds. What does that mean? Not only increase in strength but increase in endurance, stamina, coordination, flexibility, power etc. Your fitness has improved. Measurable, quantitative fitness results. It’s not the same as “My 3×10 30lb dumbell curls have gotten easier” its an increase in all of the 10 General Physical Skills.
Now how do these statistics on the business of CrossFit and the fitness results of CrossFit tie into Community. Well, the CrossFit Community is what differentiates CrossFit between any other fitness program. The ridiculous growth of CrossFit didn’t occur within a few years based on results alone; its the by product of people interacting within the fitness environment. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines “Community” as “a unified body of individuals.” This unity brings prosperity, growth and in CrossFit’s case, Elite fitness. Imagine an often intimidating environment (the gym) and people have embraced it with more than open arms. This community has built ever lasting friendships and a camaraderie that can’t be duplicated. Since opening CrossFit Prototype September 1, the community within our box is more of a family then anything. I’m excited to see how we continue grow as a community, just as the rapid growth of CrossFit Inc has over the past few years.
