Katie Rose Hejtmanek, a cultural and psychological anthropologist, explores the intriguing intersections of CrossFit and American Christianity. She reveals how CrossFit embodies elements of cultural Christianity, with intense workouts paralleling themes of salvation and community. Hejtmanek discusses the transformation of traditional hero narratives, especially through the empowerment of women in the sport. The episode also touches on the controversies surrounding the brand, including its founder and issues of inclusivity and health advocacy in the face of societal shifts.
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CrossFit's Cultural Christianity
CrossFit embodies cultural Christianity shaped by American values, not just religious tradition or practices.
This cultural Christianity subtly influences CrossFit's narratives and practices without overt religious identity.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Salvation Language in CrossFit
CrossFitters describe transformative journeys using Christian salvation language despite not practicing religion.
Terms like cult members and converts show how Christian narrative forms shape CrossFit community identity.
insights INSIGHT
Demographics of CrossFitters
CrossFit in the U.S. primarily attracts an elite, mostly white demographic with high income and education.
It also includes a significant portion of veterans, police, and niche community groups in some gyms.
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The Cult of CrossFit, Christianity and the American Exercise Phenomenon
The Cult of CrossFit, Christianity and the American Exercise Phenomenon
Christianity and the American Exercise Phenomenon
Katie Rose Hejtmanek
In "The Cult of CrossFit," Katie Rose Hejtmanek delves into the cultural phenomenon of CrossFit, exploring its surprising connections to American Christianity. Hejtmanek's anthropological research reveals how CrossFit's intense workouts and community resonate with themes of salvation, sacrifice, and the American frontier spirit. The book examines the ways in which CrossFit's values and practices are intertwined with broader cultural and religious ideologies in the United States. Hejtmanek's analysis challenges conventional understandings of secular fitness culture, highlighting the often-unacknowledged influence of religious narratives on seemingly secular spaces. The book offers a unique perspective on the intersection of religion, culture, and physical fitness in contemporary America.
American Apocalypse
A History of Modern Evangelicalism
Matthew Avery Sutton
Matthew Avery Sutton's *American Apocalypse* provides a detailed exploration of modern American evangelicalism, highlighting the role of premillennialism and apocalyptic thought in shaping the movement's engagement with culture and politics. The book spans from the late 19th century to the present, examining how evangelicals have linked major societal issues to apocalyptic narratives, thereby influencing American culture and foreign policy.
CrossFit in the United States has become increasingly popular, around which a fascinating culture has developed which shapes everyday life for the people devoted to it. CrossFit claims to be many things: a business, a brand, a tremendously difficult fitness regimen, a community, a way to gain salvation, and a method to survive the apocalypse. In The Cult of CrossFit: Christianity and the American Exercise Phenomenon (NYU Press, 2025), Dr. Katie Rose Hejtmanek examines how this exercise program is shaped by American Christian values and practices, connecting American religious ideologies to secular institutions in contemporary American culture.
Drawing upon years of immersing herself in CrossFit gyms in the United States and across six continents, this book illustrates how US CrossFit operates using distinctly American codes, ranging from its intensity and patriarchal militarism to its emphasis on (white) salvation and the adoration of the hero and vigilante. Despite presenting itself as a secular space, Dr. Hejtmanek argues that CrossFit is both heavily influenced by and deeply intertwined with American Christian values. She makes the case that the Christianity that shapes CrossFit is the Christianity that shapes much of America, usually in ways we do not even notice. Offering a new cross-cultural perspective for understanding a popular workout, The Cult of CrossFit provides a window into a particularly American rendition of a Christian plotline, lived out one workout at a time.
This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose new book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s episodes on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.
New Books in Popular Culture 
