These standards ensure the broadest and most general fitness possible. CrossFit advocates and develops a fitness that is deliberately broad, general, and inclusive. Our fitness, or being “CrossFit,” comes from molding men and women who are equal parts gymnast, Olympic weightlifter, and multi-modal sprinter, or “sprintathlete.” Develop the capacity of a novice 800-meter track athlete, gymnast, and weightlifter, and you’ll be fitter than any world-class runner, gymnast, or weightlifter. Our specialty is not specializing.

 

This is a critical piece that is often missed or criticized by others who forget that CrossFit aims to build the healthiest and fittest people over the entirety of their lives. Critics often conflate CrossFit’s methodology with CrossFit Games athleticism — they’re not the same. Walk into any affiliate, and you’ll find the real story: people of all ages and abilities getting stronger, healthier, and more capable for the long haul. That’s the design. Games athletes represent an extraordinary pursuit that extends far beyond what CrossFit prescribes for optimal health and fitness. They train at volumes and intensities that would break most people, chasing a level of performance that, while inspiring, isn’t the goal for the vast majority. Affiliates don’t program for podium finishes; they program for parents, workers, retirees, and everyone in between who simply want to show up stronger tomorrow than they were yesterday, and still be moving well decades from now.

 

Over 20 years ago, CrossFit delivered to the world the definition of fitness. It works for all types of athletes and can be adapted for any population. It makes it possible to measure current fitness levels, identify weaknesses, and measure improvements or decreases in fitness. No one