How do we know CrossFit improves fitness? There isn’t one definition of fitness, but we have some models that we use to define it and guide us in our quest to become more fit!

Let’s talk about The Hopper Model.

Picture a hopper containing bingo balls, each of which has a different physical challenge written on it. This could be anything — a 5k run, a 1RM deadlift, shoveling a driveway, running with a 40lb suitcase through an airport to catch your flight — it’s unknown and unknowable what might come out.

Let’s say we now pull out 10 balls from the hopper. CrossFit aims to produce an athlete who on average will do the best across those 10 events, regardless of what they happen to be. The CrossFit athlete probably won’t beat the specialized runner at a 5K, and probably won’t beat a powerlifter at a 1RM deadlift. However they’ll beat the runner at the deadlift, the powerlifter at the 5K, and both of them at pretty much anything else.

Food For Thought

Can you deadlift more now than you could when you started CrossFit? Can you run faster? Have you noticed the effects of your training in your everyday life?

Learn More

What Is Fitness? by Greg Glassman

Have Questions?

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Bite-Sized CrossFit Concepts is our series of quick primers on some of the fundamental principles of CrossFit, as well as common misconceptions and frequently asked questions. We hope that they will help you understand why we do things the way we do, and train smarter!