Predicting intentions to engage in crossfit : an application of the reasoned action model

CrossFit, established by Greg Glassman in 2000, is both an exercise philosophy and a competitive fitness sport that has grown exponentially since its development (Teetor, 2014; Wang, 2016). CrossFit represents a departure from the traditional fitness industry due to its gender equal environment, in which men and women workout alongside one another and are encouraged to strive for similar fitness goals. Women in CrossFit are believed to be unique in that they depart from traditional views of femininity. As a result, they may perceive different normative pressures to engage in CrossFit. The Reasoned Action Model (RAM; Fishbein & Ajzen, 2010) posits that attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and perceived normative pressure determine one’s intentions to engage in a behavior. Although the RAM has been shown to be of high utility in predicting exercise intentions, it has yet to be applied to CrossFit. The purpose of the current study is to better understand intentions to engage in CrossFit among men and women using the RAM. Results indicated that the RAM predicted 49% of the variance in intentions, with attitudes being the strongest predictor. However, little to no gender differences were found between men and women on the RAM constructs. Implications and future research avenues are discussed.