It seems unimaginable that CrossFit was known about by only a few people. Today, it is a sport that has billions in revenue, tens of thousands of accredited coaches, and a following that is as dedicated as it can be fanatical.
CrossFit represents an amazing success story that keeps unfolding straight into 2021. The CrossFit stats below can tell you something about its members and just how popular it is.
Founded in 2001 under the heat of the sun in Santa Cruz, California, by Greg Glassman, CrossFit took the world by storm, and we are going to give you some info on the results below.
Top Ten CrossFit Stats to Get You Started
- Roughly 60% of all CrossFit athletes are women.
- CrossFit is the largest fitness chain in the world.
- CrossFit makes most of its money from seminars, affiliate fees, and registration fees.
- The CrossFit brand generates $4 billion in revenue all around the world.
- US athletes represented roughly 11% of the competitors during the 2019 Games.
- CrossFit injury statistics show 3.1 incidents per 1000 hours of activity.
- It took four years for CrossFit to reach its fifth affiliate, five more to grow to 500, then another five to reach 10,000.
- The CrossFit Games are open to all ages.
- Opening a CrossFit “box” costs you $3,000 annually.
- You can burn roughly 150 calories per workout.
Warm-Up Basic CrossFit Facts
If you’re new to this regimen or you are just curious to see what it’s about — you’re in the right place. What is CrossFit? Let’s go over some general information you should know before you get involved.
1. CrossFit is the largest fitness chain in the world.
(Morning Chalk Up)
According to recent CrossFit growth statistics, not only is CrossFit number one as far as the fitness industry is concerned, but it’s also one of the fastest-growing corporate chains.
In fact, it’s right there, at number seven, behind Pizza Hut, Burger King, KFC, Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Subway. And no, the irony of a fitness chain being smack-dab in the middle of multiple fast-food chains isn’t lost on us either.
2. You can burn roughly 150 calories per workout.
(AceFitness)
According to data and facts about CrossFit, a study found that men burn 20.5 calories per minute of CrossFit exercise, while women burn 12.3 calories. Now, these numbers might not sound like much, but remember that your typical WOD lasts for roughly 10 to 12 minutes, while the rest is stretching and warming up.
In the midst of the raging obesity pandemic, combined with the coronavirus pandemic, CrossFit exercises may be your best friend when it comes to weight reduction or control.
3. The CrossFit Games are open to all ages.
(South China Morning Post)
Various studies and exercise statistics show an alarming drop in the number of people who get the recommended amount of physical activity. CrossFit works actively to change this and it is open to all ages. While it may depend on the gym whether they are going to work with kids, competitions pretty much take anyone older than 14.
The CrossFit statistics by age reveal differences between categories, where you have the teenage division between 14 and 17, then regular events between 17 and 34.
The master’s division is divided into six groups, people aged 35 to 39, 40 to 44, 45 to 49, 50 to 54, 55 to 59, and finally, 60 or older.
4. Only five key movements have been repeated on every CrossFit Open.
(WodRep)
While it is just the beginning of the CrossFit Games, CrossFit Open workouts play an integral part in the entire event. Even though there are many exercises and patterns found within the Open, five movements have always been present so far.
Namely, Double Unders, Muscle Ups (whether on the bar or on rings), Toes To Bar, Thrusters, and Chest To Bar Pull-Ups always made an appearance. If you want to get the best CrossFit stats and numbers, it’s a good idea to focus on these movements, and gamble with the rest.
5. CrossFit started with 20 members.
(FoxBusiness)
The sport had very humble beginnings. It’s one of the lesser-known CrossFit facts that not only did Glassman have 20 people, but they were also ten members short of breaking even.
CrossFit Statistics to Get You Moving
If you’re still not convinced to start working out here is some information that will definitely inspire you to get up and conquer 2021. Here we will talk a bit more about who the members are, how they treat their employees, and how much it will cost to get in.
6. Roughly 60% of all CrossFit athletes are women.
(AceFitness)
One of the more interesting CrossFit statistics and facts show that roughly 60% of all 10 million members are women.
This is just another nail in the coffin for one of the major misconceptions about CrossFit —that women can’t handle serious workouts. Sandy Hill, Lindy Barber, Deborah Diamond, Sara Sigmundsdottir, and many other hardcore women just prove this point further.
7. It has over 35,000 accredited trainers.
(AceFitness)
From humble beginnings, CrossFit gym statistics show an army of 35,000 accredited trainers. And this number will most likely keep increasing because job satisfaction rates seem to be quite above the average.
Relevant data shows that you can get a job where the salary is higher than the national average, where you can meet new people. With the CrossFit growth forecast being 23% in the following decade, it seems like the place to be.
8. Opening a CrossFit “box” costs you $3,000 annually.
(The Success of CrossFit)
Compared to other fitness affiliates and franchises, it’s pretty inexpensive to start your own CrossFit gym (or box). It’s one of the more positive CrossFit facts for budding entrepreneurs since it will cost you roughly $3000 per year.
A big factor is the libertarian attitude of Greg Glassman, as well as the relatively minimal construction costs and equipment requirements. In contrast, becoming a Gold’s Gym franchisor can cost somewhere between one and four million.
9. There are more gyms outside the US than in it.
(Morning Chalk Up)
While we already analyzed trends in CrossFit when it comes to growth rates, it’s interesting to note that it’s growing far faster internationally than domestically.
Namely, CrossFit affiliate growth is greater than US growth by 14% to 20%. That’s 150 fresh boxes in the US compared to 1000 internationally.
10. CrossFit injury statistics show 3.1 incidents per 1000 hours of activity.
(Forbes)
CrossFit is infamous for its participants getting injured often. However, that is not really rooted in reality. The relevant CrossFit injury rate is 3.1 incidents per 1000 hours of activity. Recreational runners get 30.1 injuries per 1000 hours of running.
In fact, CrossFit’s injury rates are no greater than the average sports injury rates — they are actually at the level of Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and gymnastics.
11. US athletes represented roughly 11% of the competitors in the 2019 Games.
(Morning Chalk Up–Performance by country)
In 2019, the US sent 34 athletes to the Games. This made up roughly 11% of all competitors. Still, this is one of the more positive trends within CrossFit, since it shows how the remaining 266 (out of 300) competitors come from all around the world.
12. Crossfit stats for 2021 kicks off on March 11.
(CrossFit)
We’ve only just entered 2021, and CrossFit didn’t leave us a lot of time to prepare. The season will start in March with CrossFit Open, and continue with CrossFit Games in July and August.
While we can’t know who will be CrossFit Games winners, the last year’s CrossFit Games leaderboard shows that America’s Matthew Fraser, Samuel Kwant, Justin Medeiros, and Noah Olsen have the highest chances.
CrossFit Growth Statistics
Despite belonging to the group of High-Intensity Workouts, CrossFit became huge over the years. In order to better understand their story, we did research on the economic aspect of the brand, and below are some interesting numbers we found.
12. CrossFit makes most of its money from seminars, affiliate fees, and registration fees.
(inc.com)
While the fitness apparel market keeps growing, the CrossFit brand refuses to sell branded equipment and supplements. Rather, they provide the affiliates full freedom to choose their own equipment.
CrossFit facts and figures show that most of the money he makes comes from registration fees for the CrossFit Games, as well as some Reebok CrossFit apparel. Said affiliates also have fees that top out at, roughly, three thousand dollars per year.
13. The CrossFit brand generates $4 billion in revenue all around the world.
(The Success of CrossFit)
The statistics on CrossFit speak volumes of its success. Glassman was kicked out of several gyms because of his disruptive workouts until he finally did his own thing.
Starting from nothing, this sport has reached revenues of more than $4 billion a year, and over 12,000 CrossFit gyms sprung up globally.
14. CrossFit created demand.
(The Success of CrossFit)
An interesting fact is that CrossFit didn’t really steal demand away from fitness and gym businesses. Rather, it created a demand that didn’t exist before. Fitness and CrossFit trends show that Glassman just filled in a gap that few noticed existed.
15. There is no gender pay and prize gap within CrossFit.
(The Success of CrossFit)
Unlike other professional athletes, CrossFit athletes stand out by being truly equal. Male and female athletes get equal amounts when it comes to prizes. This equal monetary compensation makes the sport more inclusive, allowing CrossFit women to feel equal. The CrossFit games stats and data will then speak for themselves.
16. It took four years for CrossFit to reach its fifth affiliate, another five to grow to 500, then another five to reach 10,000.
(Morning Chalk Up)
The first CrossFit box opened in 2001, in California. Things, of course, needed some time to get going. In 2001, there was one box, and by the end of 2004, there were five.
The growth of CrossFit continued, where it took another four years to reach 500. Finally, in 2014, a Crossfit Box in London, England, opened and got the coveted 10,000th place.
17. CrossFit growth trends indicate a rate of 2% to 5% per year.
(Morning Chalk Up)
While CrossFit growth trends are still positive, they have, normally, slowed down. Since 2015, CrossFit growth has slowed down. In the US, it slowed down to roughly 2% to 5% per year. However, on an international level, things are much better.
18. During the 2007 CrossFit Games, the first-place prize was at $500. For 2019, it was at $300,000.
(BoxRox)
Another powerful indicator of just how quickly CrossFit is growing is the value of first-place prizes. One of the more fun CrossFit facts for its competitors is that their prices have steadily grown.
In 2007, the first-place prize for both men and women was $500, and it involved around 70 people.
In 2019, these numbers reached more than 300k dollars.
FAQ
What is a CrossFit workout?
(NBC News)
A CrossFit workout is a mix of HIIT, gymnastics, and Olympic weightlifting. Every workout begins with a warm-up, lasting roughly ten to fifteen minutes.
However, CrossFit exercises are not just running around–it includes lunges, squats, jumping rope, pull-ups, and other dynamic exercises to get the blood flowing and prepare you for the WOD.
WOD, or workout of the day, is the core of CrossFit. This is where the above mix of exercises comes into play. Note that results and CrossFit statistics speak for themselves if you find this combination strange.
The exercises use kettlebells, rowers, medicine balls, speed ropes, rings, barbels, all emphasizing load, distance, and speed.
What is CrossFit good for?
(Healthline)
It can improve your physical strength, aerobic fitness, agility, balance, and flexibility. It can help you lose weight. The reason CrossFit benefits are so numerous is the variety found in its exercise selection and the intensity needed to execute said exercises. Of course, keep the old notion of–jack of all trades, master of none–in mind before you take it up.
How popular is CrossFit?
With 35,000 accredited trainers, billions in revenue, thousands of gyms all around the world, and with a solid growth rate, both domestic and abroad, CrossFit is still very popular, proving it’s not just a fad.
Is CrossFit good to lose weight?
CrossFit is an excellent way to lose weight. Its mixture of endurance and strength training, very high intensity, and strong competitive community will definitely help you shed some pounds (as long as your diet is adjusted as well).
Apart from proper diet and dedication, fat burners could additionally speed up your road to perfection.
Conclusion
We discussed the importance of physical activity at great length. Especially now, when we are trying to cope with the consequences of the pandemic. Working out is proven to reduce anxiety and stress, which is what we so desperately need in 2021.
We believe some of these CrossFit stats and data inspired you to get up and reclaim the ‘new normal’. Just remember to stay safe, listen to what your coach says, and, please, warm up properly.
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