THE MAGIC OF CROSSFIT:

By Nicole Carroll, GM of CrossFit Education

DEFINING THE FORMULA

THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF CROSSFIT

“Importantly, we don’t need to invent anything new or redefine what makes us “us.” The formula is CrossFit, and CrossFit is the formula. It’s who we are and what we do. It is the recipe for our unparalleled efficacy — from forging elite fitness to reversing and preventing chronic disease to all those harder-to-measure things as well, like the deep satisfaction, grit, and resiliency we develop; the connections we create; and the sense of purpose we embody.

Sometimes when we share these results out loud, they strain belief. They seem like hyperbole, which is why we can play with the use of a phrase like the “magic” of CrossFit. In truth, there is a little bit of magic to it though — in the sense that the sum is greater than its parts.

But the real magic of CrossFit is in this “formula” that is supported by human physiology, by science and data, and by hundreds of thousands of individuals’ results over the last two decades.

It’s the formula for our mission, our cause, and it’s made up of the CrossFit METHODOLOGY plus our ETHOS, all brought to life by the COACH and lived and reinforced by the COMMUNITY:
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Methodology + Ethos (Coach + Community) = CrossFit

The first part of the formula is the METHODOLOGY. 

The first thing that’s absolutely critical to understand is that our methodology is the driver of our unparalleled efficacy, our results. And what do I mean by results? Not only does CrossFit make people fit, but you can make a strong argument that we make people fitter faster and more safely than any other program out there. Our results are universal, predictable, and repeatable. Our methodology works for everyone, can be scaled for anyone, and the results accrue over the long term.

The methodology is the mechanism that enables us to deliver the results people expect from CrossFit, and it provides a framework for our education that makes developing professional coaches a robust, repeatable, and scalable process.

Our methodology generates an ethos — that unique CrossFit culture — that enables strong local communities to deliver life-changing results to people every day.

It’s the foundation of the whole damn thing. Why? Because it is grounded in sound science, but the results feel like magic.

The second part of the formula is our ETHOS. 

Our ETHOS is our CULTURE, our VALUES, our NON-NEGOTIABLES. And it is inextricably linked to our METHODOLOGY.

We did not sit in a room to determine our values. We did not survey fitness fanatics at large and ask, “What do you value?” or “What’s important to you?” Our ethos did not emerge from a focus group or a marketing strategy session; it developed organically and authentically from the methodology.

Our ethos is the authentic, no-bullshit heart of what we believe and stand upon. It involves an appreciation for HARD WORK, ACCOUNTABILITY, COURAGE, and SERVICE in support of others. It is what makes us us.

The third part of the formula is the COACH. 

The COACH is the most critical ingredient. The CrossFit COACH brings the METHODOLOGY and ETHOS to life.

Our COACHES are the GOLD STANDARD. They are not cheerleaders or group fitness trainers. They are not characters on a stage. Instead, our coaches display true character through knowing and serving someone else with the goal of helping them achieve their goals.

The potency of the CrossFit methodology is only fully expressed in the hands of a great coach.

If we think of our formula as an equation, the coach is a force multiplier. They make the whole thing work in practice, and they amplify the impact.

The final piece is the COMMUNITY. 

The COMMUNITY is the second force multiplier here. No other community is quite like the CrossFit community. Together, we are the collective expression of the expertise and values of our coaches.

The CrossFit METHODOLOGY informed an ETHOS that would infuse a CULTURE that would result in an incomparable COMMUNITY of legitimate fitness practitioners. The COMMUNITY is what allows us to magnify and spread the results of CrossFit, to help more people access the potential for themselves. This community fosters connection and centers on service to others.

These four essential elements — the methodology, the ethos, the coach, and the community — define CrossFit.

If you miss a single piece of this, you start to lose CrossFit’s efficacy, its “magic.”

On the other hand, when we follow the formula we create something that’s bigger than the sum of its parts. This is how community develops, how we create a sense of personal transformation and belonging, how the magic spreads.

Knowing the formula doesn’t diminish its magic. There is magic in everything we do, from our movements to our fostering of a tight-knit community; from the excellence of our coaches to the unique mix of grit, determination, and caring we find in our friends at the gym. Our formula defines who we are and ultimately leads to the culture and community everyone recognizes as CrossFit.“