WFP, More Than Just CrossFit

The World Fitness Project (WFP) is once again stepping off the beaten path. Where CrossFit has long relied on a familiar mix of weightlifting, gymnastics, and conditioning challenges, the emerging competition is deliberately choosing a broader definition of fitness. With a 10-kilometer run, swimming at one of its tour stops, and a specially developed combine test, WFP aims to measure qualities that the organization believes have been overlooked for too long.

That means the circuit is taking risks. But according to co-organizer Jason Grubb, that is exactly the point.

In Search of the Complete Athlete

At the upcoming tour stop in Indianapolis, WFP is introducing a series of tests inspired by the NFL Combine. Athletes are evaluated not only on their ability to move heavy weights or survive workouts, but also on pure athletic qualities.

Events such as the 40-yard sprint, the 5-10-5 shuttle run, and the standing broad jump are designed to reveal explosiveness, speed, and agility. A maximum bench press is also on the program.

For Grubb, this is a logical development.

"Those explosive efforts lasting less than ten seconds have never really been tested in our sport," he explains. "We believe that should be part of the definition of fitness."

It is a notable shift in direction for a sport that has traditionally focused primarily on fatigue tolerance and combined efforts over longer durations.

Risk Is Part of It

Introducing these kinds of tests also brings challenges. During a trial run at the Monster Games, where more than a thousand athletes competed, several masters athletes quickly ran into the limits of their preparation.

Hamstrings protested during the sprint tests. It was exactly the scenario organizers had feared in advance.

Yet Grubb did not see that as a reason to back down.

"We believe athletes should be able to sprint. If you can't, maybe you need to sprint slower. But it remains a fundamental movement skill."

That philosophy reflects a broader trend in the fitness world. Athletic skills such as speed, jumping ability, and change of direction are receiving increasing attention, even outside traditional team sports.

A Sport That Looks Further

It is not only the sprint tests that stand out. WFP is also programming a 10-kilometer run, one of the longest running events ever planned at this level of the sport.

Swimming is also being integrated into the season more prominently.

Where many competition organizers opt for familiar formats and predictable programming, WFP seems to be actively seeking elements that spark debate. Not because controversy is the goal, but because the organization is convinced that the sport still has room to grow.

That fits the circuit's broader ambition. Since its founding, WFP has presented itself as a competition that wants to showcase not just the best CrossFit athletes, but above all the most complete athletes.

More Variety, More Appeal

There is a second consideration behind these choices. Competition sport is not only a test for athletes, it is also a product for fans.

A maximal sprint, an explosive jump, or a heavy bench press are events that are immediately understandable to a wide audience. You do not need to be an experienced CrossFitter to see who is fast or who moves an impressive amount of weight.

That is precisely why WFP believes this approach can also be more attractive for spectators and sponsors.

The question is no longer simply who can move the heaviest barbell after twenty minutes of suffering. The question is increasingly: who is the most complete athlete of all?

With that vision in mind, World Fitness Project appears to be deliberately choosing a different direction. Not away from CrossFit, but further than the boundaries the sport has drawn for itself over the years.