Unless you’ve been living under a kettlebell, it’s pretty evident that CrossFit is experiencing a boom in popularity.
As of 2017, there were 13,000 CrossFit boxes in more than 120 countries, up from just 13 gyms in 2005. For reference, that’s more than the 12,521 Starbucks locations in the United States.
That’s a considerable jump in popularity when you get right down to it. Factor in the fact that there are hilarious CrossFit videos on YouTube, and it’s used by some of the top WWE wrestlers to stay fit, and you begin to see why the sport of CrossFit is taking hold all across the world.
Here at Grand Trunk, we benefit from this popularity, so we thought we would investigate what’s driving this increased interest in the sport.
It’s on television
The fact that the CrossFit Games are televised on CBS Sports is a major reason why CrossFit is gaining in popularity, if not just awareness. The games this year will run from August 1-5, and CBSSports.com is devoting significant time and effort into promoting the games.
There is a high likelihood that viewers will come across the Games while flipping channels and be intrigued enough to watch for a bit. This might spur them to invest time in finding a CrossFit box in their neighborhood, even if they don’t aspire to be the next Mathew Fraser.
The sport has developed personalities
Every successful professional sports league has personalities they market to drive awareness, and CrossFit is no different, although it’s on a much smaller scale.
While CrossFit’s popular athletes might not be known on the same level as Tom Brady and LeBron James, names like Josh Bridges and Sara Sigmundsdóttir are starting to gain notoriety, thanks to their regular presence in CrossFit competitions and heavy presence on their Instagram channels.
It would behoove CrossFit to continue to showcase these superstars to the masses, especially in the lead-up to the Games, since they are practically real-life superheroes without capes.
Humans need to move
There are a lot of reasons to exercise, but for whatever reason, humans tend to not do it. We think it’s because it’s hard to get motivated.
But for those who engage in CrossFit, motivation is no longer the problem. It’s extremely hard to procrastinate when others are screaming at you to power through the workout and finish, lest you want to be viewed as somebody who can’t finish a workout. (Just kidding, we won’t view you in that light. Actually, we might, but we’ve never seen anyone quit, so who knows what will happen.)
It’s time-efficient
A full WOD is sixty minutes from start to finish. As we’ve written before, CrossFit is the best hour you will spend every day. It certainly makes it more appealing as a workout option when you know you will be in and out. Find us somebody who says they don’t have time for fitness, and we’ll show them CrossFit.
It works
Go to YouTube and type in “CrossFit success stories” and you will find a bunch of stories about regular people who turned their lives around, thanks to the restorative power of CrossFit.
It’s a lot easier to commit to something good for you when you see how it benefits others, and CrossFit is no different.
It’s the basis for an entire business
A lot of products on the market today have come about as a result of CrossFit.
One of those products — Hardcore Meals — was created by two professional chefs to give CrossFit athletes performance meals delivered directly to their gym. These chefs know a thing or two about what makes an athlete tick, having worked at Ford Field in Detroit as executive chefs.
According to an article in Crain’s Detroit Business, the duo now makes food for visiting teams at Comerica Park when they are in town to play the Detroit Tigers.
But it all started because CrossFit was a thing, and there was enough of a demand from these high-performance athletes to give them food that would make them more fit.
If you’re a CrossFit athlete, let us know in the comments in we forgot anything.
If you’re curious about giving CrossFit a try, schedule a free, no-sweat intro today!