International Sociocultural Impact of Stereotyped Strength and Conditioning Training Formats: The Case of CrossFit® and HYROX
Keywords:
CrossFit, HYROX, fitness industry, sociocultural impact, sport identity, community building, business models.Abstract
The emergence of CrossFit® and HYROX in the global fitness landscape constitutes a sociocultural phenomenon of academic relevance that transcends the purely physiological domain. Both disciplines have reconfigured sport practice habits, generated new forms of identity construction, and expanded their business models to heterogeneous sociocultural contexts. This article analyzes, from an integrative theoretical perspective, the international sociocultural impact of these disciplines, comparing their distinctive features as B2B and B2C phenomena, their community-building mechanisms, and their influence on participant identity. An analytical-synthetic approach is adopted, supported by a review of scientific literature indexed in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed and SportDiscus (2018-2025). Results suggest that CrossFit® articulates a cohesive community through shared athletic identity and a decentralized affiliation model, while HYROX operates as a standardized mass competition system that democratizes physical performance. Both stereotypical formats of strength and physical conditioning reflect neoliberal dynamics of self-improvement and spectacularization of the body, although with substantial differences in their socio-environmental ecosystems. It is concluded that the expansion of these international workout disciplines with international character cannot be understood without considering the symbolic, social, and economic capitals they mobilize in each sociocultural context.
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