Elite. Not So Elite. Kip With Maddie. Cats, Dogs & HeraldH. TWA 6.23.25

FORGING ELITE FITNESS

There’s some debate within the CrossFit community, most notably among affiliate owners, as to how CrossFit should present and market itself to the world. Are we “Forging Elite Fitness” or, “Curing Chronic Disease”, or something more inviting to the masses, “Healthy Community for Life”? Ironically, the conflict and debates are the result of the amazing efficacy of CrossFit:  CrossFit is exceptionally effective at creating elite fitness, sculpting beautiful physiques, AND curing obesity and other chronic diseases. And, CrossFit affiliates are brilliant at creating welcoming communities that keep people engaged and coming back – essential for creating elite fitness.

So, what should CrossFit primary messaging to the world be? I’ve thought a lot about this over the years and especially the last several months. I’ve talked with other affiliate owners, CrossFit marketing & management, and many CrossFit enthusiasts. My conclusion: if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. CrossFit’s original tagline is (and must remain) “Forging Elite Fitness.”  The tagline is simple, easy to say, and clearly understood. It immediately provokes the quintessential question about what we all do: “What is Fitness?” that Coach Greg Glassman, the founder of CrossFit answered in his brilliant CrossFit Journal article with the same name. “Forging Elite Fitness” is defensible, since CrossFit is measurable, observable and repeatable and the CrossFit Games lays claim to the “Fittest on Earth.”  Furthermore, “Forging Elite Fitness” is a bold statement that positions CrossFit as the tip-of-the-spear for fitness – something especially important as several competitors attempt to unseat our reign (ie, Hyrox). CrossFit is the methodology of choice for anyone who’s jobs rely upon diverse physical performance ie, military, police, fire, and other first responders – the ultimate validation. 

I am also convinced that the CrossFit Games and the Games athletes should be a significant part of the foward-facing messaging to the world – something I’ve internally debated for many years. “Most people buy what they want, not what they need.”  I heard this phrase at the beginning of my career in the world of investments – and it has proved true in the world of fitness. For example, in 2014-16, Diablo hosted “6-Week Transformation” clinics – an incredibly successful program that introduced CrossFit to more than 400 people. The marketing company who created the Facebook ads tested various pictures and taglines to generate interest and found that the most successful ads featured exceptionally athletic women. And, not surprisingly, CrossFit affiliates and training certifications grew the fastest during the peak of popularity (and promotion) of the CrossFit Games – from 2012 to 2018. CrossFit Games athletes represent the ultimate manifestation of what we do in the affiliates (see the above picture!). 

Finally, while most of CrossFitters will never achieve the elite level of fitness and physical stature of Games’ athletes, the influence of the elite has led to incredible life-altering transformations at affiliates: members who have lost more than a 100lbs, reversed diabetes, stopped taking medications, ended depression and more. That’s “Forging Elite Fitness.”

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