Abstract
CrossFit—or the ‘sport of fitness’ as it is known—offers a useful lens through which to examine major sociological phenomena including identity, community, the work-leisure dichotomy and the relationship between fitness and well-being. While physical fitness is often expressed as a matter of individual choice, it is nonetheless a core aspect in the construction of identity, which is fundamentally a social process. Since its inception in 2000, CrossFit has attracted the interest of bio-scientists and social scientists alike. Regarding the latter, scholars have shown CrossFit to be a fiercely contested terrain. While there is evidence to support the psycho-social benefits of CrossFit, there are equally compelling arguments that point to its potential harms. In this introductory chapter, we examine CrossFit in relation to each of the themes of the book, namely, commodity, community, and contested terrain.