CrossFit, Agency, and Communion: Exploring Well-Being of Aging Adults Through Fitness Communities
摘要
The purpose of this chapter is to understand whether and how older and aging adults experience a sense of community through their fitness community. Our research looked specifically at CrossFit, the communities that emerge within CrossFit, and the role that community experiences played in helping individuals maintain beneficial levels of physical activity as they age. Participating in various fitness undertakings, such as CrossFit, can provide individuals a sense of achievement and pride. Achievements result from the participants’ goals, skill development, and effort. Pride stems from joy of engagement with accomplishments, connections with others around a common purpose and goal, and motivation to reach goals, which varies between individuals. Full engagement in these sports typically results in community participation—communities form within individual gyms, community centers, and through groups such as local running clubs, for example. These become unifying entities which have a location to come together, clothing with logos, and language and terminology centered on the sport. We conclude that CrossFit can offer the factors needed to prevent or reduce the negative effects of loneliness among older people. Whether it is through the overall community or through individual friendships that grow through the camaraderie in the box, these relationships foster a sense of purpose, belonging, and connection, which, in turn, help people to stay healthier as they age.