S05E92 - Unpacking CrossFit's Youth Decline with Special Guest Sasha Rhee

In this episode of Botox and Burpees, host Dr. Sam Rhee welcomes Sasha Rhee @sasha.rhee, a long-time CrossFit athlete, to discuss the declining participation of young adults in CrossFit. Sasha shares her extensive journey in CrossFit, starting from age nine and continuing through her college years at Duke University.

The episode delves into why CrossFit might be losing its appeal among younger demographics, touching on social media influences, the intimidating learning curve, and the fitness preferences of today's youth.

They explore potential strategies for local affiliates and CrossFit HQ to attract younger individuals, emphasizing the importance of effective marketing and social media presence. The discussion also covers the feasibility of CrossFit-style workouts on college campuses and the challenges affiliated with maintaining quality affiliate experiences.

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S05E92 - Unpacking CrossFit's Youth Decline with Special Guest Sasha Rhee

TRANSCRIPT

Sam Rhee: [00:00:00] All right. Welcome to another episode of Botox and Burpees. I'm here with my first episode with Sasha Rhee. She is my very special guest. She will be a regular recurring guest on the podcast. This is our first one together. And today we're going to be talking about why more young adults are not doing CrossFit.

The demographics have shown that as CrossFit has become Initially, a very popular fitness trend, uh, maybe 10 years ago, it's starting to decline amongst young adults, primarily, uh, as their age demographic increases. And so, uh, as since Sasha has been someone who has done CrossFit since age nine, she's now 19, starting with CrossFit kids.

And she's still doing CrossFit to this day, so I would like to sort of pick her brain about her and her generation and what we can do to increase engagement in CrossFit for young adults. Uh, first of all, thank you, [00:01:00] Sasha, for joining me on my podcast. And the first question I wanted to ask you is just, I know we've talked on the other podcast.

Um, HeardFit, where we, uh, Dave Syvertson and I sort of talk to you about your CrossFit experience. But just very briefly, give me your CrossFit experience. How did you start and why are you still doing it?

Sasha Rhee: Yes. So I started at age nine. I joined the CrossFit kids class at our local box, CrossFit Bison. One of the coaches was running it.

It was pretty typical, like, moving. We were just, like, jumping, running around the gym, but it was just, like, nice being in the box. Um, after that, I got into private training with Liz Tanzola around age 12 to 13, and with her that was more about, like, sports and getting my stamina up for soccer and lacrosse, and so that's when I actually learned all the movements.

Um, I learned how to do a clean. I learned how to to like back squats and all that with Liz, um, and so that would actually, that would actually introduce me to like the types of workouts that are truly CrossFit like. [00:02:00] Um, after that, I then started going to the adult classes supervised with usually my mom around age like 14, 15.

Uh, and that's when I was, like, fully in a class with other adults and really got to do, like, whatever the WAD was on the board, um, and so after that, around, like, 16, 17, when I started to be able to drive, then I would just go alone, or my mom would drop me off if I was younger, and that was just now 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, and freshman year, I didn't have a car, so I couldn't box as much, but Like go to a box, but I did CrossFit style workouts, um, from like the Facebook group that we have, um, and then this year I joined a box called CrossFit Chapel Hill, which is in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

And I went four to five times this semester, not that much, but when I couldn't go then, I would do lacrosse style workouts at the Duke gym. And so that's kind of where I'm at with my 10 year CrossFit journey.

Sam Rhee: Okay, so why do you like CrossFit and why are you still doing it?

Sasha Rhee: I [00:03:00] like it because I think The workouts are built in such a way where you don't have to work out for like an hour, an hour and a half.

You can work out for 20 to 30 minutes. I mean, sometimes our AMRAPs are like 20, 15, but the way it's structured with the high cardio while also like lifting or doing something with a weight, I think that just helps me like reach my peak fitness and pushes me. Cause I'm just not someone that can sustain for like 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 good workout in cause I'm sweating so much. Like I don't think I've ever sweat doing anything else. What is your

Sam Rhee: goal with CrossFit? Like, are you doing it for health? Are you doing it so you can look better, you know, keep your weight down?

Like, what is it that you, why, what is your ultimate? I

Sasha Rhee: think being healthy is maintaining like a certain weight for me at least. So it's kind of like a mix of that, but CrossFit's good for that because the mix of running and weightlifting. Those obviously like if you read like what are the most efficient ways of fitness like that type of mix is really good

Sam Rhee: Does that extend to the rest of your [00:04:00] lifestyle?

Like are you eating? Well, are you watching what you eat? Are you? You know avoiding other you know issue, you know Health problems drinking all those things.

Sasha Rhee: I think it sometimes does it's a little bit harder I think the other aspects of it because those are more long term goals, but CrossFit itself I think is very helpful with helping me be more cognizant of like my body and like what I'm doing with it

Sam Rhee: What do you what about your friends?

So how many other CrossFit and what are they saying about it?

Sasha Rhee: So none of my friends are doing CrossFit. No one. I don't know a single.

Sam Rhee: You're the only person

Sasha Rhee: The only other kids I know that are doing CrossFit are kids who also have parents that went to our gym. That's it. Like the only people my age that I know.

Um, the rest of my friends, either they're like student athletes, so they're like doing, you know, like lifts with the trainer that they're assigned or Pilates is really big. A lot of my friends run just like very extensively. Um, or a lot of my guy friends will [00:05:00] just like go to the school gym or like a local gym and they'll do their own type of like lifting.

Sam Rhee: And why do you think that is?

Sasha Rhee: I think. There's something, like, about the barrier to entry with CrossFit, for example, like, I think with Pilates, like, SolidCore, like, all these different franchises, they make it very easy to be, like, you can just come in and we'll teach you, and they have different levels, like, beginner, you know, expert.

Like, I think all these brands have that. CrossFit, I think it's more intimidating to get into, and people's Perception of it is that it's very intense, and so it's a hard thing for a beginner to get into, and you know, you want to, you want to stay comfortable, so a lot of kids will just stick with what they know and have been doing for years.

Sam Rhee: Have, uh, have they heard of CrossFit before you talk to them about it?

Sasha Rhee: Uh, some had, some didn't. Most of the ones that did, though, their perception was mostly like, Oh, it's like intense weightlifting. Um, it's like really scary. And they have those like fake pull ups, which are Kipping pull ups. That's usually the perception.

But a [00:06:00] lot of people will always use the word like, Oh, I heard it's really intense. Or there's like those fail videos that they see on Instagram. And those are all usually CrossFit videos.

Sam Rhee: So just to look at some numbers, I don't think that this is just. Uh, a fear mongering tactic. I think it is actually real looking at last year's open registration numbers overall.

Um, although there was a 6. 7 increase in the 2024 CrossFit open where 344, 396 athletes registered in 2024, that's 6. 7 percent up over 2023. But the concerning issue is, is if you are a business such as CrossFit, the team division, which was from, uh, 16 and up to 18 actually decreased, uh, 6. 2 percent and the men, uh, actually from 18 to 34, their registration numbers also decreased by 0.

2%. There was a three, almost 4 [00:07:00] percent increase in the women from 18 to 34, but overall it was just a slight improvement, maybe 1. 7 percent overall. Count both men and women in the 18 to 34 year old division. The biggest increase was all in the 35 plus, and you could see, um, in every age division, there was either an eight and a half up to 30 percent increase in number of registration.

So these are all old people, people like me. Um, so I know that there is a little bit of a gender breakdown when I do talk to younger athletes about what it is that they're interested in.

Uh, and it seems like, and I looked at the trend in demographics with the boys, like the young adult men, a lot of it is about aesthetics and bodybuilding.

And, why do you think that there's such a trend with, with young adult men, that they, that they're more focused on that?

Sasha Rhee: I would say social media plays a very big part, as it does with many, many trends, but I will be looking at, like, my guy [00:08:00] friends, for you pages, like, what's coming up on their social media.

The bodybuilding and, like, workout accounts are just very popular, and there's so many. And a lot of guys on social media will just post a lot about, like, their fitness journey, their body, like, all that. And most of the most popular ways are, like, bodybuilding and lifting, and doing those, like, split workouts, or, like, a certain day you do legs, or a certain day you do pull or push.

Um, and I think just because, like, that's the trend. That you see most in social media, like there's no really like CrossFit influencers per se as often. Um, that's a big part because that's most of like our media consumption as teens.

Sam Rhee: You mentioned, uh, Pilates and Core, what was it? Solid Core. Core and some of these others.

new franchises. So, uh, or just existing franchises. What is it about these franchises now? Are these high? Have you ever been to any of these classes?

Sasha Rhee: I have not, I've been actually wanting to try Pilates, but it's very [00:09:00] different from CrossFit, but a lot of my friends have gone and they're very, like very popular on social media.

Sam Rhee: How do you, you think, um. Accessibility is so for you, you live in on campus in Durham and the how many boxes were there in your general area that you could sort of get to easily

Sasha Rhee: like the high quality ones. There is like one and that's the one that I go to. So you said

Sam Rhee: high quality. So what are how many low quality boxes?

Sasha Rhee: Well, one of them like CrossFit Durham, I think became like not a CrossFit gym anymore and it's now like has CrossFit materials but it doesn't go by like CrossFit Durham. It's called like. Bull city gym or something like that. I can't remember. So that's not really like a CrossFit one. And then I haven't like I really can't see any more.

There's one but its website is so outdated. I couldn't even find the classes. The only one across the Chapel Hill had like the most up to date website, the most members, the easiest way to sign up that I was used to like. Back here at home, um, which made it most [00:10:00] accessible.

Sam Rhee: Do you see anything on your social media feeds for other fitness stuff versus CrossFit?

So what do, what comes up on your social media feeds versus what's, and what, I assume not, is some of it CrossFit, is none of it CrossFit?

Sasha Rhee: None of it is CrossFit. If I want CrossFit media, I need to search for it, or like, it's the accounts I follow, like the CrossFit Games account. Um, the Pilates, like Solid Core, all of those different brands are really popular.

I don't know if it's because my For You page obviously is tailored to, like, me and, like, I'm a girl and it probably knows I'm, like, somewhere in the 18 to 19 year old range. I just keep getting a lot of things about Solid Core. Girls are raving about it. They think it's, like, the hardest workout you could ever do.

So, um And a lot of girls are just posting about like hot yoga, hot Pilates, that type of thing. I think I see a reformer on my For You page at least like once a day. Um, and a lot of it also is like that I think that they are tailoring and catering to the age group. Like if you go to a Pilates class, it's all women essentially and a lot of it is [00:11:00] teens.

Like my age are like a little bit older and I think that that's how they do it is like through social media because so many influencers are like saying Pilates is the way, like I love going to solid core. Like this is what I. Like to do and so it's like a trend almost now

Sam Rhee: What is the makeup of the classes when you go to CrossFit Chapel Hill in terms of age demographics right now?

Sasha Rhee: I'm definitely the youngest by far. I think they have a young coach. She is I think she just she's a grad student at UNC So she's like like 24 maybe but obviously she's coaching. So she's must have been doing it for a while Everyone else is I want to say like at least 10 years older than me some like my on a much older side than we see a bison actually Um, but most are like very old and I've seen maybe like one to two kids, but they kind of keep to themselves.

And I think that they are just more focused on getting the workout in.

Sam Rhee: When you work out at your school gym and you're doing these CrossFit style workouts, how difficult is it for you to adapt what is [00:12:00] available to you at the school to do what program you might follow from, say, our HomeWEDS program?

Sasha Rhee: It's a little bit difficult because a lot of the ones that involve like running and weightlifting I really can't do because the cardio area is in a very different area than the weight room and you have to like scan into the weight room and it's Really long which sucks because those are my favorite workouts.

Like I love Nancy I love like the ones where it's lifting and then you go out for a run it hasn't been too difficult though because There's like a kind of like a mixed modal type of area and that has like dumbbells, a wall for like wall balls, a rig. And so there I do more of like the EMOM AMRAP of like wall balls, dumbbells, all that.

But I will say like it's harder than because I still want to like lift, but I haven't back squatted in a while, even though I've gone to the gym. Because I would rather do, like, the high heart rate than just go and do, like, five, I don't know, like, five sets of two, for example, back squats, because I can't really do anything besides that.

And so I'd rather do the ones where I'm moving a lot more, like [00:13:00] doing rig work or something, than just kind of stationary lifting. So that, that has kind of sacrificed, like, my stationary lifting skills with, like, the type of, like, heart rate work that I would rather do.

Sam Rhee: What do you think of the franchises that are most like CrossFit, like an F45 or Orange Theory?

Do your, do your, do any of your peers do any of that stuff?

Sasha Rhee: A couple. I think, I know a couple people that like worked at Orange Theory, for example, that go to Duke. I think otherwise, not really. Like, I haven't really heard anyone mention F41. I don't even know. F45. Maybe 45. Um, and Orange Theory, like, no, like, not as much either.

A lot of Duke girls just will end up doing, like, Pilates or yoga, like I said.

Sam Rhee: Mm, do they have classes on campus for that?

Sasha Rhee: They do have, like, the classes at the gym, and so a lot of people like the Pilates class. They also have, like, HIIT, you know, like, HIIT workouts, dancing workouts, I think, too, like yoga.

Um, so you can, like, also sign up for those.

Sam Rhee: What would the feasibility think of having CrossFit style workouts [00:14:00] or even just CrossFit on campus? 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 doing, like, Peloton workouts on campus.

Like, is that possible?

Sasha Rhee: I don't think so because I'm thinking about there is a class that runs in my mixed modal area like on Tuesday afternoons and It's just hard because if you think about how CrossFit gyms are structured, the CrossFit Chapel Hill is structured the same way as our box here They have the rig in the middle and so you can lift off the rig and it's just very like open space for any type of workout There's no really open space like that at Duke even in my mixed modal area There's just not, like, you wouldn't be able to do barbell lifting with the class.

You would have to do, like, like I said, like, one of those, like, heart rate workouts. And even then, you can't even do, like, wall balls. The wall is not big enough for that many people. So I don't really see how it could be feasible per se. And also with just the amount of equipment, usually the [00:15:00] CrossFit workouts entail, um, the classes couldn't even be that big.

So I think it'd be difficult just to, like, get everyone to, like, do it safely. And it just takes a lot of time.

Sam Rhee: Right now I'm thinking about solutions for both specific affiliate owners, as well as for CrossFit HQ, which is. The, uh, home office, and if I was an affiliate owner, and I knew that I wanted to appeal to a younger demographic, say adults, like especially men, like young men, and I knew that they were really into bodybuilding and aesthetics, would it make sense to, because CrossFit does involve and encompass a lot of weightlifting, I mean we back squat all the time, we Do Olympic lifts.

So we, you know, these are all, uh, you can tailor it to, to make it more aesthetic. And I know there's programming out there that allows that within sort of the CrossFit space. Would it make sense for a local affiliate [00:16:00] to say, and to market it specifically for young adults? So that way they feel like it's their class, just like, it's not just like a bunch of 50 year olds and like two 20 year olds, like, would it be, would it make sense in your mind if.

If they knew if they were able to do that for growth in terms of that market,

Sasha Rhee: 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 friends, like, do you know how to do a clean and jerk?

They have no idea what I'm talking about. And then when they see a video, their eyes like go wide. Like I think yes, like marketing is part of it to get kids through the door, but you also need to. where 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 like, like with solid core, I know I can like go to an intro class and that'll be fine.

And those exist versus with CrossFit. It's not really marketed as like, we have beginner classes. Anyone can join. [00:17:00] Even though I know that's what CrossFit HQ's overall message is always wanted. Like they always wanted it to be that right. The learning curve is just too steep. And I think. Especially with guys, the cardio aspect is like too much.

They think that it will hinder like their bodybuilding aspect. Um, like there's no guy really that I know that wants to squat and then go run and then come back and do more squats. They're more chasing like one round maxes or PRs, which is a thing that we do in CrossFit, but not every day. Um, so I think marketing it and like you have to take a long time to really convince people like you like anyone can do CrossFit and you will lift a lot.

Sam Rhee: Okay, because I think some of the most jacked people that you can see on social media are CrossFit athletes, especially. I mean, I don't know if the women necessarily. In our general society, we would want that. But there are certainly men, like if you looked at a lot of the CrossFit games athletes, like they're very, yes.

So I feel like the, uh, [00:18:00] But the issue really is, is that learning curve, like learning how to back squat is not a big deal or poor, you know, I mean, I see obviously a lot of people back squatting poorly, but you can do it right away. But like you said, learning how to clean, to do a snatch, to do a proper jerk like that's those compound lifts, those Olympic lifts that maybe that barrier to entry might be difficult for young men unless they could see

Sasha Rhee: The

Sam Rhee: potential results that that might give them.

Sasha Rhee: I think also with it, it comes to the point of like, it's like hard, obviously at the age that I'm at, it's hard to be humble. And so it's really, it's hard to like, get over that. Like especially with guys, come on, like, because you know at the gym, when we have onboarding classes at Bison, you start with like a PVC pipe in the back.

And there's no way that the guys, like half the guys that I know, Was willingly like learn how to lift with a PVC pipe and take feedback from a coach Like if they said for example, you don't squat right, you know Like it's like I don't think a lot of guys would be [00:19:00] receptive to that. And so with CrossFit, it's really much like a if It's not like self motivation there's no other way to like get yourself in that class because you have to really want to and I'm like be okay with that learning curve and be okay with that time and I also just think Kids my age don't have that time anymore, like to put into like a constant classic.

I only went five times a week and I've been doing this for 10 years and I know all the movements. I know I can do most of it. So I think that's also just an aspect of it is. Like actually look what's motivating you because it's it's it's a lot of time that you're still putting it especially as a college kid

Sam Rhee: How do we unlock that social media aspect of it?

Because so much of this is driven by influencers people who post Would that be one good way either? If you were an affiliate locally, if you could, you know, partner with people who were young and sort of get them to start to do that for and also say on a [00:20:00] national or international level, um, start that, uh, trend.

Uh, and you know how these things sort of feed upon themselves. And I mean, no one can control social media. The craziest stuff goes viral all the time, but if the craziest stuff goes viral, why not CrossFit? Like why not figure out what might be appealing, find influencers and find someone that might be able to, to sort of get you.

That sort of push.

Sasha Rhee: I honestly think CrossFit should hire, like, a Gen Z intern to run their social media, because the ones that go viral, and I'm thinking about the brands, well, one, it's not really, it doesn't start local, because it would be hard for Bison to what, like, I don't really know how they would appeal to the masses unless they, like, went to a high school and, I don't know, like, partnered with a high school.

That's not really something that happens a lot. Right. I think it would just have to come from a national level, because then people will look for their local affiliate. For example, a lot of these influencers are sponsored by You know, they could be sponsored by solid core or a solid core, like, or they got into it and then they loved it and solid core sponsor them.

Like things like that. I [00:21:00] think that if CrossFit did those sponsorships, it goes crazy. Like a TikTok could be banned soon. Who knows? But the most active brands, I think. That saw a lot of jump in their revenue and their sales, I really think came from, like, their social media presence. Some of the top brands I see that became so popular on TikTok, they're leaving, like, funny comments on the posts that go viral.

They're leaving, they're posting, like, keeping up with the trends, but relating it to their product. And I think if CrossFit could do that, it would become way more appealing, because I love the CrossFit Instagram. I think it's cool and heartwarming, but I also know the sport. If you don't know the sport, And it doesn't seem like they're really on social media.

They know how to kind of talk to younger people. It's very detrimental, I think, in terms of that barrier to entry. So I do think if they increase sponsorships, partnered with younger people who had a presence, that could help with this kind of misconception about the brand.

Sam Rhee: I would hope that would be a possibility, but just knowing CrossFit HQ and the people, they're so [00:22:00] traditional in that.

They can't even change minor, minor, minor things. And so for them to take that leap where they would actually do something that was beyond their percent, like for me as a 55 year old, it's. I understand and I see it, but I couldn't conceive of it and for them to actually say, yeah, we're going to trust our brand and, and give it up to a Gen Z or two, like

Sasha Rhee: just run the tick tock.

I mean, I'm telling you, like these, the funniest brands are the ones that are in on the, there's like a chill guy trend right now. And all of the brands are like hopping on it and are like tailoring it though to their specific product. So it's like, Oh, like I just went to Pilates class, but like, I'm just a chill guy, like something like that in the sense.

Where it's like, that catches people's eye. Because at the end of the day, like, you're not going to catch a Gen Z person anymore with typical, traditional marketing aspects. Like if you do a commercial, things like that. That's just not the popular way. It's [00:23:00] all on social media and it's all about appealing to whatever's current.

And to do that, you need a current social media team. Like I think social media teams and marketing teams are so important for like, especially these brands that want to appeal to the young, the younger masses.

Sam Rhee: Oof, that's such a challenge. I don't know if that's ever going to happen with CrossFit, honestly.

Sasha Rhee: Maybe some funny memes though, I know. I know for a fact if a Gen Z intern ran it, they would be really funny. I know, I hope they hire a better social media team.

Sam Rhee: Well, uh, I hope so too. And maybe someone out there who's listening can, uh, can make that happen. Um, do you think that as your demographic ages though, that they might get into CrossFit as they get older?

Do you think?

Sasha Rhee: 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, love CrossFit. We have so many former athletes at our gym. And I think that's because Once you [00:24:00] kind of, you know, once you mature, you graduate college, the ego isn't as much there.

You're kind of like a working adult, and so there's not much time for ego. I think that's when people are more willing to open themselves up to it and willing to put in the work and the time. Um, and I also just think like When you're older and you start to get older, you know, like I said, you move to the suburbs, like it's things like that I guess where you're able to hear about it more but you also have the time in the sense where like you have the financial needs like you have 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 people are more into fitness now, but I think as you get older You're more reasonable about fitness.

It's not

Sam Rhee: so much about looks and aesthetics. Yes.

Sasha Rhee: It's more about like, what can I do to like stay healthy? And I think that then that's CrossFit's very appealing. And that's why we see so many collegiate athletes at our like gym is the sense that they have that high intensity, that lifting. And I think that also there is an aspect of being good at CrossFit.

And I think as you get older, like that's kind of appealing, especially once you [00:25:00] get into it. So I do think that as people get older. They will get more into it, but that barrier of entry as a young person is really hard to get over.

Sam Rhee: So we just are gonna have to wait until everyone gets old.

Sasha Rhee: Wait and also hope that the quality of the affiliates we're all over is the same.

Sam Rhee: Right. It's a little disappointing to hear that you had to look at like three or four boxes before you found one that was half decent and wasn't that, that's not the closest either like Durham to Cross. It's not, it's

Sasha Rhee: like 15 20 minutes. 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 Hill is in Raleigh, which is like 30 minutes from campus. So and it's, I understand though also that they're part, part in Chapel Hill because Chapel Hill has more families and more students, like a bigger college campus.

But yeah, it's pretty, it's very much, very much varies and I think that's a big part also if you can build a community or not is the quality of the local affiliate.

Sam Rhee: Well, so for me to get this podcast to go viral, I'm going to have to get some, uh, tick tock stuff [00:26:00] going and all that.

Sasha Rhee: Yeah. Sam Rios is a chill guy.

Sam Rhee: I don't even know what that meme is, for God's sake. Anyway, thank you so much for spending your time on this and I really hope that some people out there can think about this. If you have any thoughts, comments about how you think CrossFit can do better, your local affiliate can do better in terms of appealing to young adults, I would love to hear it.

Comment on our YouTube channel, send me a DM on Instagram at BotoxandBurpeesPodcast and thank you again, Sasha.

Sasha Rhee: Thank you.