January 28, 2025 • 26 mins
Our conversation with Sasha Rhee, Dr. Rhee's daughter, we examine the decline of CrossFit among young adults, delving into perceptions and challenges that deter participation. Sasha shares her extensive journey in CrossFit, starting from age nine and continuing through her college years at Duke University.
Through her insights, we address the role of social media, the intimidating aspects of CrossFit, and the popularity of alternative fitness options.
• Exploring Sasha's journey with CrossFit from a young age
• Understanding the appeal of CrossFit's workout structure
• Analyzing goals of fitness: health vs. aesthetics
• Discussing social circles and the absence of peers in CrossFit
• Perceptions of CrossFit as intimidating and complex
• Reviewing demographic registration statistics for CrossFit
• Impact of social media trends on young men’s fitness choices
• Accessibility of CrossFit classes in college settings
• Comparing CrossFit with popular fitness franchises
• Examining challenges for CrossFit implementation on campus
• Highlighting the necessity for effective marketing strategies
• Exploring the potential of influencer partnerships
• Considering long-term participation as the demographic ages
#BotoxAndBurpees @crossfittraining @crossfit @crossfitgames #crossfit #sports #exercise #health #movement #crossfitcoach #agoq #clean #fitness #ItAllStartsHere #CrossFitOpen #CrossFit #CrossFitCommunity @CrossFitAffiliates #supportyourlocalbox #crossfitaffiliate #personalizedfitness
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Sam Rhee (00:04):
All right, welcome to another episode of Botox and
Burpees.
I'm here with my first episodewith Sasha Rhee.
She is my very special guest.
She will be a regular recurringguest on the podcast.
This is our first one togetherand today we're going to be
talking about why more youngadults are not doing CrossFit.
The demographics have shownthat, as CrossFit has become
(00:29):
initially a very popular fitnesstrend, maybe 10 years ago, it's
starting to decline amongstyoung adults, primarily as their
age demographic increases.
And so, as since Sasha has beensomeone who has done CrossFit
since age nine, she's now 19,starting with CrossFit kids and
(00:50):
she's still doing CrossFit tothis day.
So I would like to sort of pickher brain about her and her
generation and what we can do toincrease engagement in CrossFit
for young adults.
First of all, thank you, sasha,for joining me on my podcast,
and the first question I wantedto ask you is just I know we've
talked on the other podcast,herd Fit, where Dave Syvertson
(01:15):
and I sort of talked to youabout your CrossFit experience,
but just very briefly, give meyour CrossFit experience how did
you start and why are you stilldoing it?
Sasha Rhee (01:23):
Yes, so I started at age nine.
I joined the CrossFit kidsclass at our local box, crossfit
Bison.
One of the coaches was runningit and it was pretty typical
like moving.
We're just like jumping runningaround the gym, but it was just
like nice being in the box.
After that I got into privatetraining with Liz Tanzola around
(01:44):
age 12 to 13.
And with her that was moreabout like sports and getting my
stamina up for soccer andlacrosse, and so that's when I
actually learned all themovements.
I learned how to do a clean, Ilearned how to do like back
squats, and all that with Liz,and so that actually introduced
me to like the types of workoutsthat are truly CrossFit like.
(02:04):
After that I then started goingto the adult classes, supervised
with usually my mom, around agelike 14-15, and that's when I
was like fully in a class withother adults and really got to
do like whatever the WOD was onthe board, and so after that,
around like 16-17, when Istarted to be able to drive,
then I would just go alone or mymom would drop me off.
(02:26):
I was younger and that was justnow kind of how it's been for a
while.
Um, I started at Duke.
I'm a sophomore now.
So I guess, like a year ago andfreshman year I didn't have a
car so I couldn't box as muchbut like go to a box, but I did
crossfit style workouts um fromlike the Facebook that we have,
um.
And then this year I joined abox called CrossFit Chapel Hill,
(02:47):
which is in Chapel Hill, northCarolina, and I went four to
five times this semester, notthat much, but when I couldn't
go then I would do the CrossFitstyle workouts at the Duke gym,
and so that's kind of where I'mat with my 10 year CrossFit
journey.
Sam Rhee (03:00):
OK, so why do you like CrossFit and why are you still
doing it?
Sasha Rhee (03:03):
Okay.
So why do you like CrossFit andwhy are you still doing it?
I like it because I think theworkouts are built in such a way
where you don't have to workout for like an hour, an hour
and a half.
You can work out for 20 to 30minutes.
I mean, sometimes our AMRAPsare like 20, 15, but the way
it's structured, with the highcardio while also like lifting
or doing something with a weight, I think that just helps me
like reach my peak fitness andpushes me, because I'm just not
(03:25):
someone that can sustain forlike an hour, hour and a half at
the gym.
So I enjoy, like that quick,get your heartbeat up and I feel
like I know I'm getting goodworkout in because I'm sweating
so much Like I don't think I'veever sweat doing anything else.
Sam Rhee (03:36):
What is your goal with CrossFit, like?
Are you doing it for health?
Are you doing it so you canlook better?
You know, keep your weight down.
Like what is it that you?
What is your ultimate goal withyour exercise?
Sasha Rhee (03:47):
I think being healthy is maintaining like a
certain weight, for me at least.
So it's kind of like a mix ofthat.
But CrossFit's good for thatbecause the mix of running and
weightlifting, those obviouslylike if you read about like what
are the most efficient ways offitness, like that type of mix
is really good.
Sam Rhee (04:02):
Does that extend to the rest of your lifestyle?
Like are you eating well, areyou watching what you eat?
Are you, you know, avoidingother?
You know issue, you know healthproblems drinking all those
things?
Sasha Rhee (04:16):
I think it sometimes does.
It's a little bit harder, Ithink, to other aspects of it
because those are more long-termgoals.
But CrossFit itself, I think,is very helpful with helping me
be more cognizant of my body andwhat I'm doing with it.
Sam Rhee (04:29):
What about your friends?
How many other people aroundyou are doing CrossFit and what
are they saying about it?
Sasha Rhee (04:36):
None of my friends are doing CrossFit.
Sam Rhee (04:37):
No one.
Sasha Rhee (04:38):
I don't know a single one.
Sam Rhee (04:39):
You're the only person .
Sasha Rhee (04:42):
The only other kids I know that have done CrossFit
are kids who also have parentsthat went to our gym.
That's it, like the only peoplemy age that I know.
The rest of my friends eitherthey're like student athletes,
so they're like doing, you know,like lifts with the trainer
that they're assigned, orPilates is really big.
A lot of my friends run justlike very extensively.
(05:02):
Or a lot of my guy friends willjust like go to the school gym
or like a local gym and they'lldo their own type of like
lifting.
Sam Rhee (05:10):
And why do you think that is?
Sasha Rhee (05:13):
I think there's something like about the barrier
to entry.
With CrossFit, for example,like, I think, with Pilates,
like Solid Core, like all thesedifferent franchises, they make
it very easy to be, like you canjust come in and we'll teach
you, and they have differentlevels, like beginner, expert,
like I think all these brandshave that.
Crossfit, I think, it's moreintimidating to get into and
(05:35):
people's perception of it isthat it's very intense and so
it's a hard thing for a beginnerto get into.
And you know you want to staycomfortable, so a lot of kids
will just stick with what theyknow and have been doing for
years.
Sam Rhee (05:45):
Have they heard of CrossFit before you talked to
them about?
Sasha Rhee (05:50):
it.
Some had, some didn't.
Most of the ones that did,though, their perception was
mostly like oh, it's likeintense weightlifting, it's like
really scary.
And they have those like fakepull-ups which are kipping
pull-ups.
That's usually the perception,but a lot of people will always
use the word like oh, I heard,it's really intense.
Or there's like those failvideos that they see on
(06:10):
Instagram, and those are allusually CrossFit videos.
Sam Rhee (06:14):
So just to look at some numbers, I don't think that
this is just a fear-mongeringtactic.
I think it is actually realLooking at last year's open
registration numbers overall.
I think it is actually realLooking at last year's open
registration numbers overall,although there was a 6.7%
increase in the 2024 CrossFitOpen, where 344,396 athletes
registered in 2024, that's 6.7%up over 2023.
(06:39):
But the concerning issue is ifyou are a business such as
CrossFit.
Issue is is, if you are abusiness such as CrossFit, the
teen division, which was from 16and up to 18, actually
decreased 6.2 percent and themen actually from 18 to 34.
(06:59):
Their registration numbers alsodecreased by 0.2 percent.
There wasa three, almost fourpercent increase in the women
from 18 to 34.
But overall it was just aslight improvement, maybe 1.7%
overall, if you count both menand women in the 18 to
34-year-old division.
The biggest increase was all inthe 35-plus and you could see
(07:20):
in every age division there waseither an 8.5% up to 30%
increase in number ofregistrations.
So these are all old people,people like me.
So I know that there is alittle bit of a gender breakdown
when I do talk to youngerathletes about what it is that
they're interested in and itseems like and I looked at the
(07:43):
trend and demographics with theboys like the young adult men, a
lot of it is about aestheticsand bodybuilding, and why do you
think that there's such a trendwith young adult men that
they're more focused on that?
Sasha Rhee (07:56):
I would say social media plays a very big part, as
it does with many, many trends.
But I will be looking at my guyfriends, friends for you.
Pages like what's coming up ontheir social media, the
bodybuilding and like workoutaccounts are just very popular
and there's so many and a lot ofguys on social media will just
post a lot about like theirfitness journey, their body,
(08:19):
like all that, and most of themost popular ways are like
bodybuilding and lifting anddoing those like split workouts
or like a certain day you dolegs or a certain day you do
pull or push.
And I think, just because likethat's the trend that you see
most in social media, likethere's no really like CrossFit
influencers per se, as oftenthat's a big part because that's
(08:39):
most of like our mediaconsumption as teens.
Sam Rhee (08:43):
You mentioned Pilates and core.
What was it?
Core and some of these othersnew franchises so?
Or just existing franchises?
What is it about thesefranchises Now?
Are these high?
Have you ever been to any ofthese classes?
Sasha Rhee (09:00):
I have not.
I've been actually wanting totry Pilates, but it's very
different from CrossFit.
But a lot of my friends havegone and they're very popular on
social media.
Sam Rhee (09:11):
How do you think accessibility is so for you?
You live on campus in Durham,and how many boxes were there in
your general area that youcould sort of get to easily?
Sasha Rhee (09:26):
Like the high quality ones.
There is like one and that'sthe one that I go to.
So you said high quality.
Sam Rhee (09:31):
So what are how many low quality boxes?
Sasha Rhee (09:34):
Well, one of them, like CrossFit Durham I think,
became like not a CrossFit gymanymore and it's now like has
CrossFit materials but itdoesn't go by like CrossFit
Durham.
It's called like Bull City Gymor something like that, I can't
remember.
So that's not really like aCrossFit one.
And then I haven't, like Ireally can't see anymore.
There's one, but its website isso outdated I couldn't even
find the classes.
The only one across the ChapelHill had like the most up to
(09:56):
date website, the most members,the easiest way to sign up that
I was used to like back here athome, which made it most
accessible.
Sam Rhee (10:05):
Do you see anything on your social media feeds for
other fitness stuff versusCrossFit?
So what comes up on your socialmedia feeds versus what's, and
what I assume not, is some of it.
Crossfit is none of it CrossFit.
Sasha Rhee (10:19):
None of it is CrossFit.
If I want CrossFit media, Ineed to search for it.
Or like it's the accounts Ifollow.
Like the CrossFit media, I needto search for it.
Or like it's the accounts Ifollow, like the CrossFit Games
account.
Um, the Pilates, like SolidCore all of those different
brands are really popular.
I don't know if it's because myFor you page obviously is
tailored to like me and like I'ma girl and it probably knows
I'm like somewhere in the 18 to19 year old range.
I just keep getting a lot ofthings about Solid Core.
(10:40):
Girls are raving about it.
They think it's like thehardest workout you could ever
do, and a lot of girls are justposting about like hot yoga, hot
Pilates, that type of thing.
I think I see a reformer on myFor you page at least like once
a day, and a lot of it also islike I think that they are
tailoring and catering to theage group.
(11:00):
Like if you go to a Pilatesclass, it's all women
essentially and a lot of it isteens Like my age, are like a
little bit older, and I thinkthat that's how they do.
It is like through social media, because so many influencers
are like saying Pilates is theway, like I love going to solid
core, like this is what I liketo do, and so it's like a trend
almost now.
Sam Rhee (11:19):
What is the makeup of the classes when you go to
CrossFit Chapel Hill in terms ofage demographics?
Sasha Rhee (11:24):
right now I'm definitely the youngest by far.
I think they have a young coach.
She is, I think she's just.
She's a grad student at UNC, soshe's like 24 maybe, but
obviously she's coaching, soshe's been doing it for a while.
Everyone else is, I want to say, like at least 10 years older
than me.
Some are like on the much olderside than we see at bison
actually, but most are like veryold and I've seen maybe like
(11:48):
one to two kids, but they kindof keep to themselves and I
think that they are just morefocused on getting the workout
in when you work out at yourschool gym and you're doing
these crossfit style workouts,how difficult is it for you to
adapt what is available to youat the school to do what program
you might follow from, say, ourhome website?
(12:10):
Yeah, it's a little bitdifficult, because a lot of the
ones that involve like runningand weightlifting I really can't
do, because the cardio area isin a very different area than
the weight room and you have tolike scan into the weight room
and it's really long, whichsucks, because those are my
favorite workouts, like I love,love, nancy, I love like the
ones where it's lifting and thenyou go out for a run.
Um, it hasn't been too difficultthough, because there is like a
(12:32):
kind of like a mixed modal typeof area and that has like
dumbbells, a wall for like wallballs, a rig, and so there I do
more of like the EMOM AMRAP, oflike wall balls, dumbbells, all
that.
But I will say like it's harderthan because I still want to
like lift.
But I haven't back squatted ina while, even though I've gone
to the gym, because I wouldrather do, like the high heart
(12:53):
rate that just go and do likefive I don't know like five sets
of two, for example, backsquats, because I can't really
do anything besides that, and soI'd rather do the ones where
I'm moving a lot more like doingrig work or something than just
kind of stationary lifting, sothat that has kind of sacrificed
like my stationary liftingskills with like the type of
like heart rate work that Iwould rather do what do you
(13:15):
think of the franchises that aremost like CrossFit, like an F45
or Orange Theory?
Sam Rhee (13:20):
do your, do you do any of your peers do any of that
stuff?
Sasha Rhee (13:25):
a couple.
I think I know a couple peoplethat like worked at orange
theory, for example, that go toduke, I think otherwise not
really.
Like I haven't really heardanyone mention f41, I don't even
know that it's like maybe 45 um, and orange theory, like, no,
like, not as much either.
A lot of duke girls just willend up doing like pilates or
yoga, like I said do they haveclasses on campus for that?
(13:46):
they do have like the classes atthe gym, and so a lot of people
like the Pilates class.
They also have like hit, youknow like hit workouts, of
dancing workouts, I think toolike yoga, um, so you can like
also sign up for those whatwould the feasibility you think
of having CrossFit styleworkouts, or even just crossfit,
on campus?
Sam Rhee (14:07):
is that something that would even be a possibility at
this point?
Because I know, for example,university of michigan brand
like co-branded with peloton,and they just got like a million
peloton bikes and they're doinglike peloton workouts on campus
, like is that possible?
Sasha Rhee (14:23):
I don't think so, because I'm thinking about.
There is a class that runs inmy mixed modal area, like on
tuesday afternoons, and it'sjust hard because if you think
about how crossfit gyms arestructured, the crossfit chapel
hill is structured the same wayas our box here.
They have the rig in the middleand so you can lift off the rig
and it's just very like openspace for any type of workout.
(14:43):
There's no really open spacelike that at Duke, even in my
mixed modal area.
There's just not.
Like.
You wouldn't be able to dobarbell lifting with the class
you would have to do like, likeI said, like one of those like
heart rate workouts, and eventhen you can't even do like wall
blows.
The wall is not big enough forthat many people.
So I don't really see how itcould be feasible per se, and
also with just the amount ofequipment usually the CrossFit
(15:04):
workouts entail, the classescouldn't even be that big.
So I think it'd be difficultjust to like, get everyone to
like do it safely, and it justtakes a lot of time.
Sam Rhee (15:16):
Right now I'm thinking about solutions for both
specific affiliate owners aswell as for CrossFit HQ, which
is the home office.
And if I was an affiliate ownerand I knew that I wanted to
appeal to a younger demographic,say adults like especially men,
like young men and I knew thatthey were really into
(15:37):
bodybuilding and aestheticswould it make sense to because
CrossFit does involve andencompass a lot of weightlifting
I mean, we back squat all thetime, we do Olympic lifts, we,
you know these are all you cantailor it to to make it more
aesthetic, and I know there'sprogramming out there that
(15:58):
allows that within sort of theCrossFit space.
Would it make sense for a localaffiliate to say and to market
it specifically for young adults, so that way they feel like
it's their class, just like it'snot just like a bunch of
50-year-olds and like two20-year-olds?
Would it make sense in yourmind if they were able to do
(16:22):
that for growth in terms of thatmarket?
Sasha Rhee (16:26):
I do think marketing is the most important thing.
It is difficult, though,because of the learning curve
that does come with CrossFit.
Like there are guys that lift,but do they know how to do a
clean?
No, like.
If I bring up to my guy friendslike do you know how to do a
clean and jerk, they have noidea what I'm talking about.
And then when they see a video,their eyes like go wide, like I
(16:46):
a video, their eyes like gowide, like I think, yes, like
marketing is part of it to getkids through the door, but you
also need to market it in a waywhere you're like it won't take
that long for you to learn,because I think for a lot of
people with crossfit it's likelike with solid car, I know I
can like go to an intro classand that'll be fine and those
exist.
Versus with crossfit it's notreally marketed as, like we have
beginner classes, anyone canjoin, even though I know that's
what CrossFit HQ's overallmessage is always wanted, like
(17:07):
they always wanted it to be thatthe learning curve is just too
steep, and I think, especiallywith guys, the cardio aspect is
like too much.
They think that it will hinderlike their bodybuilding aspect,
um, like there's no guy reallythat I know that wants to squat
and then go run and then comeback and do more squats.
They're more chasing, like onerow maxes or prs, which is a
(17:28):
thing that we do in crossfit butnot every day.
Um, so I think marketing it andlike you have to take a long
time to really convince peoplelike you, like anyone can do
crossfit and you will lift a lotokay, because I think some of
the most jacked people that youcan see on social media are
crossfit athletes, especially.
Sam Rhee (17:49):
I mean I don't know if the women necessarily- in our
general society would want that.
But there are certainly menlike if you looked at a lot of
the CrossFit Games athletes likethey're very jacked.
Sasha Rhee (17:58):
Yes.
Sam Rhee (17:59):
So I feel like the.
But the issue really is, isthat learning curve, like
learning how to back squat, isnot a big deal, or you know?
I mean I see obviously a lot ofpeople back squatting poorly,
but you can do it right away.
But, like you said, learninghow to clean, snap, to do a
(18:22):
snatch, to do a proper jerk,like that's those compound lifts
, those olympic lifts maybe thatbarrier to entry might be
difficult for young men unlessthey could see the potential
results that that might givethem I think also with it it
comes to the point of like it'slike hard.
Sasha Rhee (18:34):
Obviously at the age that I'm at it's hard, the
point of like it's like hard.
Obviously at the age that I'mat it's hard to be humble.
And so it's really it's hard tolike get over that Like,
especially with guys.
Come on Like, because you know,at the gym, when we have
onboarding classes at Bison, youstart with like a PVC pipe in
the back and there's no way thatthe guys like half the guys
that I know was willingly learnhow to lift with a PVC pipe and
(18:58):
take feedback from a coach Ifthey said, for example, you
don't squat right, I don't thinka lot of guys would be
receptive to that.
And so with CrossFit, if it'snot self-motivation, there's no
other way to get yourself inthat class, because you have to
really want to and be okay withthat learning curve and be okay
with that time.
And I also just think kids myage don't have that time anymore
(19:20):
like to put into like acrossthe class, like I only went five
times a week and I've beendoing this for 10 years and I
know all the movements, I know Ican do most of it.
So I think that's also just anaspect of it is like actually
like what's motivating you,because it's it's a lot of time
that you're still putting it,especially as a college kid how
(19:41):
do we unlock that social mediaaspect of it, because so much of
this is driven by influencers,people who post um.
Sam Rhee (19:51):
Would that be one good way either?
If you were an affiliatelocally, if you could, you know,
partner with people who wereyoung and sort of get them to
start to do that for and alsosay on a national or
international level, um, startthat uh trend, uh.
And you know how these thingssort of feed upon themselves.
(20:12):
And I mean, no one can controlsocial.
The craziest stuff goes viralall the time.
But if the craziest stuff goesviral, why not CrossFit, like,
why not figure out what might beappealing, find influencers and
find someone that might be ableto sort of get you that sort of
push?
Sasha Rhee (20:29):
I honestly think CrossFit should hire, like, a
Gen Z intern to run their socialmedia, because the ones that go
viral, and I'm thinking aboutthe brands, about the brands,
well, one it's not really itdoesn't start local, because it
would be hard for Bison to what,like I don't really know how
they would appeal to the massesunless they, like, went to a
high school and I don't know,like partnered with a high
school.
That's not really somethingthat happens a lot right.
I think it would just have tocome from a national level,
(20:50):
because then people will lookfor their local affiliate.
For example, a lot of theseinfluencers are sponsored by.
You know they could besponsored by solid core or solid
core like, or they got into itand then they loved it and solid
court sponsored them, likethings like that.
I think that if cross it didthose sponsorships it goes crazy
like a tiktok could be bannedsoon.
Who knows?
But the most active brands Ithink that saw a lot of jump in
(21:13):
their revenue and their sales Ireally think came from, like,
their social media presence.
Some of the top brands I seethat became so popular on TikTok
.
They're leaving like funnycomments on the posts that go
viral.
They're leaving, they'reposting like keeping up with the
trends and relating it to theirproduct.
And I think if CrossFit coulddo that, it would become way
more appealing, because I lovethe CrossFit Instagram.
(21:33):
I think it's cool andheartwarming.
But I also know the sport.
If you don't know the sport andit doesn't seem like they're
really on social media, theyknow how to kind of talk to
younger people it's verydetrimental, I think, in terms
of that barrier to entry.
So I do think if they increasesponsorships partnered with
younger people who had apresence, that could help with
(21:54):
this kind of misconception aboutthe brand I that could help
with this kind of misconceptionabout the brand.
Sam Rhee (21:57):
I would hope that would be a possibility.
But just knowing CrossFit HQand the people, they're so
traditional in that aspect, likethey can't even change minor,
minor, minor things.
And so for them to take thatleap where they would actually
do something that was beyondtheir percent Like for me as a
(22:18):
55 year old, it's I understandand I see it, but I couldn't
conceive of it and for them toactually say, yeah, we're going
to trust our brand and and giveit up to a Gen Z or two, like
Just run the TikTok.
Sasha Rhee (22:31):
I mean I'm telling you, like these the funniest
brands are the ones that are inon the.
There's like a chill'm tellingyou like these, the funniest
brands are the ones that are inon the trend.
There's like a chill guy trendright now, and all of the brands
are like hopping on it and arelike tailoring it, though, to
their specific product.
So it's like, oh, like I justwent to Pilates class, but like
I'm just a chill guy, likesomething like that in the sense
where it's like that catchespeople's eye because, at the end
(22:53):
of the day, like you're notgoing to catch a gen z person
anymore with typical traditionalmarketing aspects, like if you
do a commercial things like that, that's just not the popular
way.
It's all on social media andit's all about appealing to
whatever's current, and to dothat you need a current social
media team.
Like I think social media teamsand marketing teams are so
important for like especiallythese brands that want to appeal
(23:14):
to the young, like the youngermasses uh, oh, that's such a
challenge.
I don't know if that's evergoing to happen with with
crossfit, honestly, um, maybesome funny memes, though I know
I never heard back of a chanceto get to planet.
Sam Rhee (23:28):
They would be really funny and I hope they hire a
better social media team well,uh, I hope so, and maybe someone
out there that's listening canmake that happen.
Do you think that, as yourdemographic ages, though, that
they might get into CrossFit asthey get older, do you think?
Sasha Rhee (23:49):
Yes, and I think it's because we see this at our
gym all the time Former athletes, like former collegiate
athletes d3, d2, d1 lovecrossfit.
We have so many former athletesat our gym and I think that's
because once you kind of, youknow, once you mature, you
graduate college, the ego isn'tas much there.
You're kind of like a workingadult and so there's not much
(24:10):
time for ego.
I think that's when people aremore willing to open themselves,
up to it and willing to put inthe work and the time.
And I also just think, likewhen you're older and you start
to get older, like you said, youmove to the suburbs, like it's
things like that, I guess, whereyou're able to hear about it
more.
But you also have the time, ina sense, where, like, you have
(24:31):
the financial needs, like youhave the time to put yourself
out there.
And as you get older also,there's more of an emphasis on
fitness.
Like I know that younger peopleare more into fitness now, but
I think as you get older you'remore reasonable about fitness
and it's not something aboutlooks and aesthetics.
Yes, it's more about like, whatcan I do to, like, stay healthy?
And I think that then that'scrossfit's very appealing and
that's why we see so manycollegiate athletes at our like
(24:53):
gym is the sense that they havethat high intensity, that
lifting, and I think that alsothere is an aspect of being good
at CrossFit and I think as youget older that's kind of
appealing, especially once youget into it.
So I do think that as peopleget older they will get more
into it.
But that barrier of entry as ayoung person is really hard to
get over.
Sam Rhee (25:13):
So we just are going to have to wait until everyone
gets old.
Sasha Rhee (25:16):
Wait and also hope that the quality of the
affiliates we're all over is thesame Right.
Sam Rhee (25:20):
It's a little disappointing to hear that you
had to look at like three orfour boxes before you found one
that was half decent, and wasn'tthat?
That's not the closest either,like Durham to Cross, it's not
it's like 15, 20 minutes.
Sasha Rhee (25:30):
I mean, I love Cross Chapel Hill.
I must say shout out to them.
I really like them.
I'm glad I found them, but yeah, there's like not a single one
in Durham.
The next one after Chapel Hillwas in Raleigh, which is like 30
minutes from campus, right soand it's.
I understand, though, also thatthey're part part in Chapel
Hill, because Chapel Hill hasmore families.
Sam Rhee (25:47):
Yeah.
Sasha Rhee (25:47):
And more students, like a bigger college campus,
right, but yeah, it's pretty,it's.
It very much varies and I thinkthat's a big part also.
If you can build a community ornot is the quality of the local
affiliate.
Sam Rhee (25:59):
Well, so for me to get this podcast to go viral, I'm
gonna have to get some TikTokstuff going and all that.
Sasha Rhee (26:04):
Yeah, sam Maria's just a chill guy.
Sam Rhee (26:09):
I don't even know what that meme is, for God's sake.
Anyway, thank you so much forspending your time on this and I
really hope that some peopleout there can think about this.
If you have any thoughts,comments, about how you think
CrossFit can do better, yourlocal affiliate can do better in
terms of appealing to youngadults, I would love to hear it.
Comment on our YouTube channel,send me a DM on Instagram at
(26:33):
Botox and Burpees Podcast, andthank you again, sasha, thank,
you, thank you, thank you, thankyou, thank.
All right, welcome to another episode of Botox and
Burpees.
I'm here with my first episodewith Sasha Rhee.
She is my very special guest.
She will be a regular recurringguest on the podcast.
This is our first one togetherand today we're going to be
talking about why more youngadults are not doing CrossFit.
The demographics have shownthat, as CrossFit has become
(00:29):
initially a very popular fitnesstrend, maybe 10 years ago, it's
starting to decline amongstyoung adults, primarily as their
age demographic increases.
And so, as since Sasha has beensomeone who has done CrossFit
since age nine, she's now 19,starting with CrossFit kids and
(00:50):
she's still doing CrossFit tothis day.
So I would like to sort of pickher brain about her and her
generation and what we can do toincrease engagement in CrossFit
for young adults.
First of all, thank you, sasha,for joining me on my podcast,
and the first question I wantedto ask you is just I know we've
talked on the other podcast,herd Fit, where Dave Syvertson
(01:15):
and I sort of talked to youabout your CrossFit experience,
but just very briefly, give meyour CrossFit experience how did
you start and why are you stilldoing it?
Sasha Rhee (01:23):
Yes, so I started at age nine.
I joined the CrossFit kidsclass at our local box, crossfit
Bison.
One of the coaches was runningit and it was pretty typical
like moving.
We're just like jumping runningaround the gym, but it was just
like nice being in the box.
After that I got into privatetraining with Liz Tanzola around
(01:44):
age 12 to 13.
And with her that was moreabout like sports and getting my
stamina up for soccer andlacrosse, and so that's when I
actually learned all themovements.
I learned how to do a clean, Ilearned how to do like back
squats, and all that with Liz,and so that actually introduced
me to like the types of workoutsthat are truly CrossFit like.
(02:04):
After that I then started goingto the adult classes, supervised
with usually my mom, around agelike 14-15, and that's when I
was like fully in a class withother adults and really got to
do like whatever the WOD was onthe board, and so after that,
around like 16-17, when Istarted to be able to drive,
then I would just go alone or mymom would drop me off.
(02:26):
I was younger and that was justnow kind of how it's been for a
while.
Um, I started at Duke.
I'm a sophomore now.
So I guess, like a year ago andfreshman year I didn't have a
car so I couldn't box as muchbut like go to a box, but I did
crossfit style workouts um fromlike the Facebook that we have,
um.
And then this year I joined abox called CrossFit Chapel Hill,
(02:47):
which is in Chapel Hill, northCarolina, and I went four to
five times this semester, notthat much, but when I couldn't
go then I would do the CrossFitstyle workouts at the Duke gym,
and so that's kind of where I'mat with my 10 year CrossFit
journey.
Sam Rhee (03:00):
OK, so why do you like CrossFit and why are you still
doing it?
Sasha Rhee (03:03):
Okay.
So why do you like CrossFit andwhy are you still doing it?
I like it because I think theworkouts are built in such a way
where you don't have to workout for like an hour, an hour
and a half.
You can work out for 20 to 30minutes.
I mean, sometimes our AMRAPsare like 20, 15, but the way
it's structured, with the highcardio while also like lifting
or doing something with a weight, I think that just helps me
like reach my peak fitness andpushes me, because I'm just not
(03:25):
someone that can sustain forlike an hour, hour and a half at
the gym.
So I enjoy, like that quick,get your heartbeat up and I feel
like I know I'm getting goodworkout in because I'm sweating
so much Like I don't think I'veever sweat doing anything else.
Sam Rhee (03:36):
What is your goal with CrossFit, like?
Are you doing it for health?
Are you doing it so you canlook better?
You know, keep your weight down.
Like what is it that you?
What is your ultimate goal withyour exercise?
Sasha Rhee (03:47):
I think being healthy is maintaining like a
certain weight, for me at least.
So it's kind of like a mix ofthat.
But CrossFit's good for thatbecause the mix of running and
weightlifting, those obviouslylike if you read about like what
are the most efficient ways offitness, like that type of mix
is really good.
Sam Rhee (04:02):
Does that extend to the rest of your lifestyle?
Like are you eating well, areyou watching what you eat?
Are you, you know, avoidingother?
You know issue, you know healthproblems drinking all those
things?
Sasha Rhee (04:16):
I think it sometimes does.
It's a little bit harder, Ithink, to other aspects of it
because those are more long-termgoals.
But CrossFit itself, I think,is very helpful with helping me
be more cognizant of my body andwhat I'm doing with it.
Sam Rhee (04:29):
What about your friends?
How many other people aroundyou are doing CrossFit and what
are they saying about it?
Sasha Rhee (04:36):
None of my friends are doing CrossFit.
Sam Rhee (04:37):
No one.
Sasha Rhee (04:38):
I don't know a single one.
Sam Rhee (04:39):
You're the only person .
Sasha Rhee (04:42):
The only other kids I know that have done CrossFit
are kids who also have parentsthat went to our gym.
That's it, like the only peoplemy age that I know.
The rest of my friends eitherthey're like student athletes,
so they're like doing, you know,like lifts with the trainer
that they're assigned, orPilates is really big.
A lot of my friends run justlike very extensively.
(05:02):
Or a lot of my guy friends willjust like go to the school gym
or like a local gym and they'lldo their own type of like
lifting.
Sam Rhee (05:10):
And why do you think that is?
Sasha Rhee (05:13):
I think there's something like about the barrier
to entry.
With CrossFit, for example,like, I think, with Pilates,
like Solid Core, like all thesedifferent franchises, they make
it very easy to be, like you canjust come in and we'll teach
you, and they have differentlevels, like beginner, expert,
like I think all these brandshave that.
Crossfit, I think, it's moreintimidating to get into and
(05:35):
people's perception of it isthat it's very intense and so
it's a hard thing for a beginnerto get into.
And you know you want to staycomfortable, so a lot of kids
will just stick with what theyknow and have been doing for
years.
Sam Rhee (05:45):
Have they heard of CrossFit before you talked to
them about?
Sasha Rhee (05:50):
it.
Some had, some didn't.
Most of the ones that did,though, their perception was
mostly like oh, it's likeintense weightlifting, it's like
really scary.
And they have those like fakepull-ups which are kipping
pull-ups.
That's usually the perception,but a lot of people will always
use the word like oh, I heard,it's really intense.
Or there's like those failvideos that they see on
(06:10):
Instagram, and those are allusually CrossFit videos.
Sam Rhee (06:14):
So just to look at some numbers, I don't think that
this is just a fear-mongeringtactic.
I think it is actually realLooking at last year's open
registration numbers overall.
I think it is actually realLooking at last year's open
registration numbers overall,although there was a 6.7%
increase in the 2024 CrossFitOpen, where 344,396 athletes
registered in 2024, that's 6.7%up over 2023.
(06:39):
But the concerning issue is ifyou are a business such as
CrossFit.
Issue is is, if you are abusiness such as CrossFit, the
teen division, which was from 16and up to 18, actually
decreased 6.2 percent and themen actually from 18 to 34.
(06:59):
Their registration numbers alsodecreased by 0.2 percent.
There wasa three, almost fourpercent increase in the women
from 18 to 34.
But overall it was just aslight improvement, maybe 1.7%
overall, if you count both menand women in the 18 to
34-year-old division.
The biggest increase was all inthe 35-plus and you could see
(07:20):
in every age division there waseither an 8.5% up to 30%
increase in number ofregistrations.
So these are all old people,people like me.
So I know that there is alittle bit of a gender breakdown
when I do talk to youngerathletes about what it is that
they're interested in and itseems like and I looked at the
(07:43):
trend and demographics with theboys like the young adult men, a
lot of it is about aestheticsand bodybuilding, and why do you
think that there's such a trendwith young adult men that
they're more focused on that?
Sasha Rhee (07:56):
I would say social media plays a very big part, as
it does with many, many trends.
But I will be looking at my guyfriends, friends for you.
Pages like what's coming up ontheir social media, the
bodybuilding and like workoutaccounts are just very popular
and there's so many and a lot ofguys on social media will just
post a lot about like theirfitness journey, their body,
(08:19):
like all that, and most of themost popular ways are like
bodybuilding and lifting anddoing those like split workouts
or like a certain day you dolegs or a certain day you do
pull or push.
And I think, just because likethat's the trend that you see
most in social media, likethere's no really like CrossFit
influencers per se, as oftenthat's a big part because that's
(08:39):
most of like our mediaconsumption as teens.
Sam Rhee (08:43):
You mentioned Pilates and core.
What was it?
Core and some of these othersnew franchises so?
Or just existing franchises?
What is it about thesefranchises Now?
Are these high?
Have you ever been to any ofthese classes?
Sasha Rhee (09:00):
I have not.
I've been actually wanting totry Pilates, but it's very
different from CrossFit.
But a lot of my friends havegone and they're very popular on
social media.
Sam Rhee (09:11):
How do you think accessibility is so for you?
You live on campus in Durham,and how many boxes were there in
your general area that youcould sort of get to easily?
Sasha Rhee (09:26):
Like the high quality ones.
There is like one and that'sthe one that I go to.
So you said high quality.
Sam Rhee (09:31):
So what are how many low quality boxes?
Sasha Rhee (09:34):
Well, one of them, like CrossFit Durham I think,
became like not a CrossFit gymanymore and it's now like has
CrossFit materials but itdoesn't go by like CrossFit
Durham.
It's called like Bull City Gymor something like that, I can't
remember.
So that's not really like aCrossFit one.
And then I haven't, like Ireally can't see anymore.
There's one, but its website isso outdated I couldn't even
find the classes.
The only one across the ChapelHill had like the most up to
(09:56):
date website, the most members,the easiest way to sign up that
I was used to like back here athome, which made it most
accessible.
Sam Rhee (10:05):
Do you see anything on your social media feeds for
other fitness stuff versusCrossFit?
So what comes up on your socialmedia feeds versus what's, and
what I assume not, is some of it.
Crossfit is none of it CrossFit.
Sasha Rhee (10:19):
None of it is CrossFit.
If I want CrossFit media, Ineed to search for it.
Or like it's the accounts Ifollow.
Like the CrossFit media, I needto search for it.
Or like it's the accounts Ifollow, like the CrossFit Games
account.
Um, the Pilates, like SolidCore all of those different
brands are really popular.
I don't know if it's because myFor you page obviously is
tailored to like me and like I'ma girl and it probably knows
I'm like somewhere in the 18 to19 year old range.
I just keep getting a lot ofthings about Solid Core.
(10:40):
Girls are raving about it.
They think it's like thehardest workout you could ever
do, and a lot of girls are justposting about like hot yoga, hot
Pilates, that type of thing.
I think I see a reformer on myFor you page at least like once
a day, and a lot of it also islike I think that they are
tailoring and catering to theage group.
(11:00):
Like if you go to a Pilatesclass, it's all women
essentially and a lot of it isteens Like my age, are like a
little bit older, and I thinkthat that's how they do.
It is like through social media, because so many influencers
are like saying Pilates is theway, like I love going to solid
core, like this is what I liketo do, and so it's like a trend
almost now.
Sam Rhee (11:19):
What is the makeup of the classes when you go to
CrossFit Chapel Hill in terms ofage demographics?
Sasha Rhee (11:24):
right now I'm definitely the youngest by far.
I think they have a young coach.
She is, I think she's just.
She's a grad student at UNC, soshe's like 24 maybe, but
obviously she's coaching, soshe's been doing it for a while.
Everyone else is, I want to say, like at least 10 years older
than me.
Some are like on the much olderside than we see at bison
actually, but most are like veryold and I've seen maybe like
(11:48):
one to two kids, but they kindof keep to themselves and I
think that they are just morefocused on getting the workout
in when you work out at yourschool gym and you're doing
these crossfit style workouts,how difficult is it for you to
adapt what is available to youat the school to do what program
you might follow from, say, ourhome website?
(12:10):
Yeah, it's a little bitdifficult, because a lot of the
ones that involve like runningand weightlifting I really can't
do, because the cardio area isin a very different area than
the weight room and you have tolike scan into the weight room
and it's really long, whichsucks, because those are my
favorite workouts, like I love,love, nancy, I love like the
ones where it's lifting and thenyou go out for a run.
Um, it hasn't been too difficultthough, because there is like a
(12:32):
kind of like a mixed modal typeof area and that has like
dumbbells, a wall for like wallballs, a rig, and so there I do
more of like the EMOM AMRAP, oflike wall balls, dumbbells, all
that.
But I will say like it's harderthan because I still want to
like lift.
But I haven't back squatted ina while, even though I've gone
to the gym, because I wouldrather do, like the high heart
(12:53):
rate that just go and do likefive I don't know like five sets
of two, for example, backsquats, because I can't really
do anything besides that, and soI'd rather do the ones where
I'm moving a lot more like doingrig work or something than just
kind of stationary lifting, sothat that has kind of sacrificed
like my stationary liftingskills with like the type of
like heart rate work that Iwould rather do what do you
(13:15):
think of the franchises that aremost like CrossFit, like an F45
or Orange Theory?
Sam Rhee (13:20):
do your, do you do any of your peers do any of that
stuff?
Sasha Rhee (13:25):
a couple.
I think I know a couple peoplethat like worked at orange
theory, for example, that go toduke, I think otherwise not
really.
Like I haven't really heardanyone mention f41, I don't even
know that it's like maybe 45 um, and orange theory, like, no,
like, not as much either.
A lot of duke girls just willend up doing like pilates or
yoga, like I said do they haveclasses on campus for that?
(13:46):
they do have like the classes atthe gym, and so a lot of people
like the Pilates class.
They also have like hit, youknow like hit workouts, of
dancing workouts, I think toolike yoga, um, so you can like
also sign up for those whatwould the feasibility you think
of having CrossFit styleworkouts, or even just crossfit,
on campus?
Sam Rhee (14:07):
is that something that would even be a possibility at
this point?
Because I know, for example,university of michigan brand
like co-branded with peloton,and they just got like a million
peloton bikes and they're doinglike peloton workouts on campus
, like is that possible?
Sasha Rhee (14:23):
I don't think so, because I'm thinking about.
There is a class that runs inmy mixed modal area, like on
tuesday afternoons, and it'sjust hard because if you think
about how crossfit gyms arestructured, the crossfit chapel
hill is structured the same wayas our box here.
They have the rig in the middleand so you can lift off the rig
and it's just very like openspace for any type of workout.
(14:43):
There's no really open spacelike that at Duke, even in my
mixed modal area.
There's just not.
Like.
You wouldn't be able to dobarbell lifting with the class
you would have to do like, likeI said, like one of those like
heart rate workouts, and eventhen you can't even do like wall
blows.
The wall is not big enough forthat many people.
So I don't really see how itcould be feasible per se, and
also with just the amount ofequipment usually the CrossFit
(15:04):
workouts entail, the classescouldn't even be that big.
So I think it'd be difficultjust to like, get everyone to
like do it safely, and it justtakes a lot of time.
Sam Rhee (15:16):
Right now I'm thinking about solutions for both
specific affiliate owners aswell as for CrossFit HQ, which
is the home office.
And if I was an affiliate ownerand I knew that I wanted to
appeal to a younger demographic,say adults like especially men,
like young men and I knew thatthey were really into
(15:37):
bodybuilding and aestheticswould it make sense to because
CrossFit does involve andencompass a lot of weightlifting
I mean, we back squat all thetime, we do Olympic lifts, we,
you know these are all you cantailor it to to make it more
aesthetic, and I know there'sprogramming out there that
(15:58):
allows that within sort of theCrossFit space.
Would it make sense for a localaffiliate to say and to market
it specifically for young adults, so that way they feel like
it's their class, just like it'snot just like a bunch of
50-year-olds and like two20-year-olds?
Would it make sense in yourmind if they were able to do
(16:22):
that for growth in terms of thatmarket?
Sasha Rhee (16:26):
I do think marketing is the most important thing.
It is difficult, though,because of the learning curve
that does come with CrossFit.
Like there are guys that lift,but do they know how to do a
clean?
No, like.
If I bring up to my guy friendslike do you know how to do a
clean and jerk, they have noidea what I'm talking about.
And then when they see a video,their eyes like go wide, like I
(16:46):
a video, their eyes like gowide, like I think, yes, like
marketing is part of it to getkids through the door, but you
also need to market it in a waywhere you're like it won't take
that long for you to learn,because I think for a lot of
people with crossfit it's likelike with solid car, I know I
can like go to an intro classand that'll be fine and those
exist.
Versus with crossfit it's notreally marketed as, like we have
beginner classes, anyone canjoin, even though I know that's
what CrossFit HQ's overallmessage is always wanted, like
(17:07):
they always wanted it to be thatthe learning curve is just too
steep, and I think, especiallywith guys, the cardio aspect is
like too much.
They think that it will hinderlike their bodybuilding aspect,
um, like there's no guy reallythat I know that wants to squat
and then go run and then comeback and do more squats.
They're more chasing, like onerow maxes or prs, which is a
(17:28):
thing that we do in crossfit butnot every day.
Um, so I think marketing it andlike you have to take a long
time to really convince peoplelike you, like anyone can do
crossfit and you will lift a lotokay, because I think some of
the most jacked people that youcan see on social media are
crossfit athletes, especially.
Sam Rhee (17:49):
I mean I don't know if the women necessarily- in our
general society would want that.
But there are certainly menlike if you looked at a lot of
the CrossFit Games athletes likethey're very jacked.
Sasha Rhee (17:58):
Yes.
Sam Rhee (17:59):
So I feel like the.
But the issue really is, isthat learning curve, like
learning how to back squat, isnot a big deal, or you know?
I mean I see obviously a lot ofpeople back squatting poorly,
but you can do it right away.
But, like you said, learninghow to clean, snap, to do a
(18:22):
snatch, to do a proper jerk,like that's those compound lifts
, those olympic lifts maybe thatbarrier to entry might be
difficult for young men unlessthey could see the potential
results that that might givethem I think also with it it
comes to the point of like it'slike hard.
Sasha Rhee (18:34):
Obviously at the age that I'm at it's hard, the
point of like it's like hard.
Obviously at the age that I'mat it's hard to be humble.
And so it's really it's hard tolike get over that Like,
especially with guys.
Come on Like, because you know,at the gym, when we have
onboarding classes at Bison, youstart with like a PVC pipe in
the back and there's no way thatthe guys like half the guys
that I know was willingly learnhow to lift with a PVC pipe and
(18:58):
take feedback from a coach Ifthey said, for example, you
don't squat right, I don't thinka lot of guys would be
receptive to that.
And so with CrossFit, if it'snot self-motivation, there's no
other way to get yourself inthat class, because you have to
really want to and be okay withthat learning curve and be okay
with that time.
And I also just think kids myage don't have that time anymore
(19:20):
like to put into like acrossthe class, like I only went five
times a week and I've beendoing this for 10 years and I
know all the movements, I know Ican do most of it.
So I think that's also just anaspect of it is like actually
like what's motivating you,because it's it's a lot of time
that you're still putting it,especially as a college kid how
(19:41):
do we unlock that social mediaaspect of it, because so much of
this is driven by influencers,people who post um.
Sam Rhee (19:51):
Would that be one good way either?
If you were an affiliatelocally, if you could, you know,
partner with people who wereyoung and sort of get them to
start to do that for and alsosay on a national or
international level, um, startthat uh trend, uh.
And you know how these thingssort of feed upon themselves.
(20:12):
And I mean, no one can controlsocial.
The craziest stuff goes viralall the time.
But if the craziest stuff goesviral, why not CrossFit, like,
why not figure out what might beappealing, find influencers and
find someone that might be ableto sort of get you that sort of
push?
Sasha Rhee (20:29):
I honestly think CrossFit should hire, like, a
Gen Z intern to run their socialmedia, because the ones that go
viral, and I'm thinking aboutthe brands, about the brands,
well, one it's not really itdoesn't start local, because it
would be hard for Bison to what,like I don't really know how
they would appeal to the massesunless they, like, went to a
high school and I don't know,like partnered with a high
school.
That's not really somethingthat happens a lot right.
I think it would just have tocome from a national level,
(20:50):
because then people will lookfor their local affiliate.
For example, a lot of theseinfluencers are sponsored by.
You know they could besponsored by solid core or solid
core like, or they got into itand then they loved it and solid
court sponsored them, likethings like that.
I think that if cross it didthose sponsorships it goes crazy
like a tiktok could be bannedsoon.
Who knows?
But the most active brands Ithink that saw a lot of jump in
(21:13):
their revenue and their sales Ireally think came from, like,
their social media presence.
Some of the top brands I seethat became so popular on TikTok
.
They're leaving like funnycomments on the posts that go
viral.
They're leaving, they'reposting like keeping up with the
trends and relating it to theirproduct.
And I think if CrossFit coulddo that, it would become way
more appealing, because I lovethe CrossFit Instagram.
(21:33):
I think it's cool andheartwarming.
But I also know the sport.
If you don't know the sport andit doesn't seem like they're
really on social media, theyknow how to kind of talk to
younger people it's verydetrimental, I think, in terms
of that barrier to entry.
So I do think if they increasesponsorships partnered with
younger people who had apresence, that could help with
(21:54):
this kind of misconception aboutthe brand I that could help
with this kind of misconceptionabout the brand.
Sam Rhee (21:57):
I would hope that would be a possibility.
But just knowing CrossFit HQand the people, they're so
traditional in that aspect, likethey can't even change minor,
minor, minor things.
And so for them to take thatleap where they would actually
do something that was beyondtheir percent Like for me as a
(22:18):
55 year old, it's I understandand I see it, but I couldn't
conceive of it and for them toactually say, yeah, we're going
to trust our brand and and giveit up to a Gen Z or two, like
Just run the TikTok.
Sasha Rhee (22:31):
I mean I'm telling you, like these the funniest
brands are the ones that are inon the.
There's like a chill'm tellingyou like these, the funniest
brands are the ones that are inon the trend.
There's like a chill guy trendright now, and all of the brands
are like hopping on it and arelike tailoring it, though, to
their specific product.
So it's like, oh, like I justwent to Pilates class, but like
I'm just a chill guy, likesomething like that in the sense
where it's like that catchespeople's eye because, at the end
(22:53):
of the day, like you're notgoing to catch a gen z person
anymore with typical traditionalmarketing aspects, like if you
do a commercial things like that, that's just not the popular
way.
It's all on social media andit's all about appealing to
whatever's current, and to dothat you need a current social
media team.
Like I think social media teamsand marketing teams are so
important for like especiallythese brands that want to appeal
(23:14):
to the young, like the youngermasses uh, oh, that's such a
challenge.
I don't know if that's evergoing to happen with with
crossfit, honestly, um, maybesome funny memes, though I know
I never heard back of a chanceto get to planet.
Sam Rhee (23:28):
They would be really funny and I hope they hire a
better social media team well,uh, I hope so, and maybe someone
out there that's listening canmake that happen.
Do you think that, as yourdemographic ages, though, that
they might get into CrossFit asthey get older, do you think?
Sasha Rhee (23:49):
Yes, and I think it's because we see this at our
gym all the time Former athletes, like former collegiate
athletes d3, d2, d1 lovecrossfit.
We have so many former athletesat our gym and I think that's
because once you kind of, youknow, once you mature, you
graduate college, the ego isn'tas much there.
You're kind of like a workingadult and so there's not much
(24:10):
time for ego.
I think that's when people aremore willing to open themselves,
up to it and willing to put inthe work and the time.
And I also just think, likewhen you're older and you start
to get older, like you said, youmove to the suburbs, like it's
things like that, I guess, whereyou're able to hear about it
more.
But you also have the time, ina sense, where, like, you have
(24:31):
the financial needs, like youhave the time to put yourself
out there.
And as you get older also,there's more of an emphasis on
fitness.
Like I know that younger peopleare more into fitness now, but
I think as you get older you'remore reasonable about fitness
and it's not something aboutlooks and aesthetics.
Yes, it's more about like, whatcan I do to, like, stay healthy?
And I think that then that'scrossfit's very appealing and
that's why we see so manycollegiate athletes at our like
(24:53):
gym is the sense that they havethat high intensity, that
lifting, and I think that alsothere is an aspect of being good
at CrossFit and I think as youget older that's kind of
appealing, especially once youget into it.
So I do think that as peopleget older they will get more
into it.
But that barrier of entry as ayoung person is really hard to
get over.
Sam Rhee (25:13):
So we just are going to have to wait until everyone
gets old.
Sasha Rhee (25:16):
Wait and also hope that the quality of the
affiliates we're all over is thesame Right.
Sam Rhee (25:20):
It's a little disappointing to hear that you
had to look at like three orfour boxes before you found one
that was half decent, and wasn'tthat?
That's not the closest either,like Durham to Cross, it's not
it's like 15, 20 minutes.
Sasha Rhee (25:30):
I mean, I love Cross Chapel Hill.
I must say shout out to them.
I really like them.
I'm glad I found them, but yeah, there's like not a single one
in Durham.
The next one after Chapel Hillwas in Raleigh, which is like 30
minutes from campus, right soand it's.
I understand, though, also thatthey're part part in Chapel
Hill, because Chapel Hill hasmore families.
Sam Rhee (25:47):
Yeah.
Sasha Rhee (25:47):
And more students, like a bigger college campus,
right, but yeah, it's pretty,it's.
It very much varies and I thinkthat's a big part also.
If you can build a community ornot is the quality of the local
affiliate.
Sam Rhee (25:59):
Well, so for me to get this podcast to go viral, I'm
gonna have to get some TikTokstuff going and all that.
Sasha Rhee (26:04):
Yeah, sam Maria's just a chill guy.
Sam Rhee (26:09):
I don't even know what that meme is, for God's sake.
Anyway, thank you so much forspending your time on this and I
really hope that some peopleout there can think about this.
If you have any thoughts,comments, about how you think
CrossFit can do better, yourlocal affiliate can do better in
terms of appealing to youngadults, I would love to hear it.
Comment on our YouTube channel,send me a DM on Instagram at
(26:33):
Botox and Burpees Podcast, andthank you again, sasha, thank,
you, thank you, thank you, thankyou, thank.
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