Challenge, Commitment, Community, and Empowerment: Factors that Promote the Adoption of CrossFit as a Training Program
Authors
Duncan Simpson Ph.D1*; Tanya R. Prewitt-White, Ph.D2*; Yuri Feito, Ph.D, MPH, FACSM3*; Julianne Giusti, MS1; Ryan Shuda, MS4;
* Equal contributors
Institution
1 IMG Academy, Bradenton, FL, USA
2 University of Illinois – Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
3 Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA
4 Adler University, Chicago, IL, USA
Corresponding Author
Yuri Feito, Ph.D, MPH, FACSM
Dept. Exercise Science & Sport Management, Kennesaw State University
520 Parliament Garden Way NW
MD 4104 | Bldg. 41 | Office 4233
Kennesaw, GA 30144
Email: yfeito@kennesaw.edu
ABSTRACT
CrossFit training is a relatively new training program characterized by “high intensity, constantly varied, functional movements” (Glassman, 2007). Considering the initiation of exercise is usually affected by multiple factors, the authors qualitatively examined the factors that encourage individuals with more than three months of CrossFit training experience to adopt and maintain this high-intensity training modality. Seventeen individuals over 25 years old were purposively sampled and contacted by an investigator for an interview. Semi-structured interviews were selected as the primary form of data collection. Analyses of the interviews led to the following four overarching themes: Accepting and Overcoming Challenge, Commitment, Connection and Community, and Empowerment and Transformation.