Among my many interests is the constant pursuit of elevated fitness. As an employed certified personal trainer, staying abreast of the hot topics in the strength and conditioning world is a huge personal interest of mine, as well as a necessity of my jobs. In the past several years, no "buzzword" has been thrown around around with more fervor, both online and off (ranging from fanatical devotion to complete contempt) than "CrossFit."
CrossFit is an rapidly growing "strength and conditioning brand" (according to wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CrossFit ), but is more effectively understood as a new approach to working out and achieving "fitness," claiming to be the most effective way to reach functional, well-rounded fitness. CrossFit aims to be effective both in terms of the aesthetic benefits we all appreciate from exercise, but even more so in terms of actual function in everyday life. Regardless of CrossFit's bold claims, much debate exists about its true effectiveness as a training program. While a continually growing number of devotee's follow it with such a fervor outsiders have compared it to a cult, others disparagingly regard it as potentially health damaging, or even deadly fad.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/08/marine_crossfit_081608w/
Regardless, one thing is for certain. In the worst recession since the 1930's, CrossFit has continued to be an incredibly profitable organization, with remarkable efficiency in growth coupled with very little effort. How is this possible? An open source business model, combined with the increasingly interconnected social media world of web 2.0.
In their book Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies, Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff discuss the workings of open source development, describing it as a system where "technically adept developers combine their efforts to build, test, and improve software products, and the code is available for all to see (p.24)." As Li and Bernoff mention, many may scoff at such a development style, yet to their advantage the pioneers of the CrossFit organization realized the potential behind this approach from the get go, and even went as far to detail it in several CrossFit Journal (their online publication articles over the years).
Greg Glassman calls the company’s evolution “organic,” a term that has become a buzzword for any sort of growth that doesn’t result from an acquisition or merger. In CrossFit’s case, the word is both accurate and specific. Glassman has taken his lead from clients and trainers, cherry-picking what works and dismissing what doesn’t. He likens his role to that of an orchard keeper rather than manager.
-CrossFit Journal, October 19, 2009
This practice of using employee and customer feedback to refine the business model and practice is exactly what Li and Bernoff discuss in Groundswell. Furthermore, it is designed to be extremely accesible (limited equipment is needed) and every day a "Workout of the Day" (WOD) is posted on the main site ( CrossFit.com ). These WOD's are even "tagged" with the last exact same WOD that may have come up a month, 6 months, or a whole year ago, so you can check your max, time, or point score from your previous workout, and mark your improvement.
Of course, yet another integral part of the CrossFit open source business model is their opening of affiliate gyms (There are now over 2000 worlwide). The amazing thing is, while they provide suggestions, after passing the afilliate examination and paying the membership, each CrossFit gym is free to run it's own business in exactly the way it see's fit, complete with its own WOD's and fee's. Still, for CrossFit participants, the "main site" as it is affectionately called is the a hub, the crux where all worldwide connections come together. It is here that the internet community surrounding CrossFit becomes an integral part of it's business plan. With this site, CrossFit creates social connections worldwide, as members from all reaches of the world compete on WOD's that are then scored and discussed daily in forums. Li and Bernoff state forum's succeed "partly because they let people show off (pg.28)." What better way to show off yourself with then a worldwide daily fitness competition?
What is even more amazing is that CrossFit and it's business model were in place well before researcher's such as Li and Bernoff where tossing around the term "groundswell" or even recognizing its potential, as the first CrossFit Gym was started in 1995! Regardless, it is clear the impact the web 2.o had bolstering the company to new heights, as in 2005-2010 the number of CrossFit affiliated gyms exploded from 18 to nearly 1700! (Wagner, James (February 2, 2010). "Fitness as a Full-Time Pursuit". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703837004575013350262520066.html?mod=WSJ_Small%20Business_IndustryNews.
In fact after regarding an issue of the CrossFit Journal from 2005, one cannot help but be amazed at their understanding and admitted use what is now known as groundswell tactics.
From Issue 35, July 2005: CrossFit: An Open Source Model Fitness Yearns to Be Free -Brian Mulvaney
...continued from page 8
Now let’s look at some critical aspects of the Linux development model identified by Raymond and compare them with CrossFit:
The Linux development model:
• Release early and often
• Delegate everything you can
• Be open to the point of promiscuity
The CrossFit development model:
• Release early and often - Daily!
• Delegate everything you can - Meet the experts from the realms of climbing, lifting, swimming, gymnastics, fighting, you name it.
• Be open to the point of promiscuity - Read the WOD weblog comments. - Check out the discussion board. - See photos of athletes puking!
As Li and Bernoff state with great emphasis, the most important thing above all is to "Concentrate on the relationships, not the technologies (p.28)." CrossFit's bare bones yet personable approach exemplifies this (even their webpage is so basic it borders on aesthetically displeasing). With their constantly increasing influence and profit, they have created a community of emotional bonded "users", considerably shifting the balance of power away from the "Globo-Gyms" in a manner none would have thought possible, and certainly would have been near impossible without effectively harnessing the power of the web 2.0 groundswell.
Additional Media:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QWnzAEF6hI
(From a series of DIY garage-gyms to an Adidas Commercial!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8_IRIWbNFo&feature=related
("What is CrossFit?"
http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/fitness/story.html?id=a5a28fa9-2973-47c3-a4cc-60ce020f309e&k=19281
("CrossFit is Fast and Furious")
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