Fitness Racing and CrossFit: A Powerful Complement, Not a Clone
At Synergy Strength, we’re proud to build athletes who are strong, capable, and resilient across all areas of fitness. As part of that mission, we offer both CrossFit and Fitness Racing classes—two distinct but complementary approaches to developing full-body fitness.
While they share some surface similarities—functional movements, high intensity, and a community-driven atmosphere—CrossFit and Fitness Racing are fundamentally different in purpose and structure.
One is a comprehensive sport.
The other is a specific and valuable training stimulus.
And together, they make athletes better.
Understanding the Differences
When Greg Glassman originally published “What is Fitness?”, the philosophy was clear:
True fitness requires competency across all three energy systems—short-term power (phosphagen), mid-term stamina (glycolytic), and long-term endurance (oxidative).
CrossFit’s mission was to develop broad, general physical preparedness (GPP) across all domains: strength, skill, power, speed, endurance, agility, balance, accuracy, coordination, and flexibility.
As the sport of CrossFit evolved, however, the natural demands of competition and the realities of group class programming led to certain trends:
High focus on short- to mid-range workouts (6–18 minutes)
Heavy emphasis on technical skills (Olympic lifting, gymnastics)
Less consistent focus on pure aerobic capacity development (especially long, sustained Zone 2 aerobic work)
This is where Fitness Racing comes in—not as a rival to CrossFit, but as a natural complement.
What is Fitness Racing?
Fitness Racing focuses specifically on aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and mental toughness over longer time domains.
It’s built around:
Simple, accessible movements (running, rowing, biking, sleds, carries, lunges, wall balls)
Mixed-modal formats (multiple movements combined, but with less technical complexity)
Longer, grind-style workouts typically lasting 45-90 minutes or more
In our Fitness Racing classes at Synergy Strength, we train athletes to maintain pace, power, and control over extended periods—without needing to master highly technical skills like snatches, handstand walks, or muscle-ups.
This makes Fitness Racing:
Highly accessible to all fitness levels
Highly effective at building aerobic engines
Highly complementary to CrossFit’s strength, skill, and power emphasis
Why We Offer FITNESS and FITNESS RACING at Synergy Strength
We’re firm believers in true, complete fitness.
That means not just lifting heavier or moving faster—it also means building the aerobic base that supports everything else.
At Synergy Strength, we fill the gap many traditional CrossFit programs unintentionally leave behind:
Our Zone 2 classes target low-intensity, steady-state monostructural work (this will transfer to Fitness Racing over the summer)
Our Fitness Racing classes target higher-intensity, mixed-modal aerobic capacity.
Together, they ensure our athletes:
Recover faster between workouts
Handle longer WODs without falling apart
Develop true stamina, both mentally and physically
Broaden their athletic capacity across all energy systems
Personally, I’ve loved adding Fitness Racing into our programming.
It’s refreshing, it’s challenging in a different way, and it’s incredibly satisfying to see athletes grind through long, tough sessions—and come out stronger for it.
It’s not CrossFit.
It’s not meant to be.
It’s simply a missing piece that makes you a better CrossFit athlete—and a better all-around human.
In Conclusion
CrossFit (Fitness) challenges you across the entire fitness spectrum.
Fitness Racing challenges your aerobic engine and mental resilience.
They aren’t the same thing—but they belong together.
If you’re serious about improving your fitness, doing both will make you stronger, faster, more durable, and more complete than focusing on either one alone.
At Synergy Strength, we’re proud to offer you both—because building better humans is what we do.
