Stars and Athletes Who Swear by CrossFit

With more than 13,000 gyms in 120 countries, and more than 4 million devotees, CrossFit is arguably the biggest fitness trend in the world. Case in point, you can watch the CrossFit Games on ESPN. CrossFit athletes appear in Reebok commercials. CrossFit workouts feature heavily on The Biggest Loser. But its origins aren’t exactly mainstream. In fact, CrossFit’s CEO and founder, Greg Glassman founded the fitness craze as a way to combat his frustrations with traditional gyms twenty years ago.

Glassman was unsatisfied with standard gym equipment that didn’t leave much room for variety. The driving force behind CrossFit is that the workouts change daily and contain diversity to keep members on their toes.

CrossFit presents itself as both a physical exercise philosophy and a competitive sport. It incorporates foundations of high-intensity interval workouts, weightlifting, powerlifting, calisthenics, strongman and other exercises.

A lot of its devotes tout its variety as the driving force behind why they’re CrossFitters. There’s a long list of elite athletes who are successful in other sports, but utilize CrossFit to keep them in top shape. Hollywood VIPs are also catching on. Here’s a quick list of several stars and athletes who have become big CrossFit fans:

Bob Harper- Perhaps not as well-known as some of his fellow CrossFitters on this list, Harper may also be the original celebrity endorser, consistently utilizing CrossFit workouts in his onscreen training. The Biggest Loser trainer has always been vocal about his love for CrossFit’s compact, but intense workouts. In 2013, he told Men’s Fitness, “I used to do long sessions all the time, and my body started to get beat up. But with CrossFit, it's almost like my body is finally getting a chance to rest while, at the same time, I'm pushing it harder than I've ever pushed it."

Danica Patrick- Often referred to as the most successful woman in the history of American racing, Patrick told Sports Illustrated in 2016 that she depends heavily on CrossFit to keep her small frame in shape. In fact, she converted the barn at her home in North Carolina into a CrossFit gym, and names her favorite CrossFit workout as Burpees.

Tim McGraw- The popular country star names CrossFit as a contributing factor in his recovery from alcoholism. McGraw adopted CrossFit, along with a low-card Paleo diet back in 2008, when he realized drinking not only made him overweight, but was ruining his life. He told the New York Times in 2015 that CrossFit got him in shape so that he could continue to do high-energy live shows, even at 50 years old. In fact, he’s also recruited his band for CrossFit workouts, telling Extra TV: “It is a way for us to hang out together when we’re not playing.”

Sean Payton- The New Orleans Saints coach used CrossFit to get into the “best shape of his life” during his season-long suspension in 2012. (Payton took a year off from coaching as punishment for a cash bounty system the Saints placed on opposing players’ heads.) Once the suspension was lifted, Payton came back to the game with some new ideas: CrossFit workouts. Payton implemented CrossFit-style, high intensity workouts with a competitive atmosphere into his team’s offseason workout program.

Jack Osbourne- The reality TV personality may not be your typical CrossFitter. Osbourne was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis back in 2012, and uses workouts as way to keep his body in shape, despite the challenges the disease brings. Osbourne told the LA Times, “There’s no science showing exercise helps battle MS, but my philosophy is a body in motion stays in motion. I’m stronger than I’ve ever been.”

Christie Rampone- The captain of the gold-medal winning 2012 U.S. Olympic women’s soccer team uses a combination of CrossFit, kettlebells and running programs to stay fit and healthy when she’s not in competition mode. The 40-year-old mom of two played in her fifth World Cup back in 2015, so obviously, her CrossFit routine is working for her.