Resistance Training: (Re)shaping Extreme Forms of Workplace Health Promotion

TLDR

Workplace health initiatives are expanding in variety, including controversial, cult‑like programs such as CrossFit. The study examines a fitness apparel company’s attempts to promote a fitness culture through its brand of extreme fitness known as CrossFit. The authors examined the company’s evangelical promotion of CrossFit as a corporate wellness initiative through interviews, participant observations, and a critical‑interpretive lens to capture employee reactions. The evangelical rollout spurred high participation and reshaped employee views on health and identity, yet resistance surfaced, underscoring the need for co‑constructed workplace wellness programs.

Abstract

As the number of workplace health initiatives grows, so does the variety of programming. This study examines a fitness apparel company’s attempts to promote a fitness culture through a particular brand of “extreme” fitness known as CrossFit. CrossFit is an intense fitness regimen that has generated controversy with a cult-like reputation. We looked at the evangelical promotion of CrossFit as a new corporate wellness initiative. Based on interviews and participant observations, we used a critical-interpretive lens to understand employee reactions to the extreme wellness initiative. The evangelical introduction of this program by management led to high rates of participation, influencing employee perceptions of health, fitness, and identity. Yet, we also found that employee resistance emerged, which helped to mark the limits of this managerial intervention in workplace fitness. Ultimately, the study advocates for more co-construction of workplace wellness initiatives.