Reebok University Training Programs

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I'm not often prophetic, but must pat myself on the back for calling this one.

I taught indoor cycling for 5 years in Honduras, where there were no continuing education credits offered. Now that I am living in the US how can I make my 2003 certification with Reebok University count towards a recertification with SPinning. I am also an ACE certified personal trainer and pilates. Not sure what you think about CrossFit? Before you decide, try one of these workouts. Not sure what you think about it? 5 Ways To Look As Strong As You Are. Ike Catcher's Chest-and-Shoulder Workout. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to beginning any diet or exercise program or taking any.

Reebok is always looking for new playgrounds across the globe – we have found success by partnering with fitness pioneers CrossFit, UFC, Spartan Race, Les Mills, and Ragnar Relays. Each of these partnerships allows us the chance to design the gear that helps fitness tribes worldwide to be their best. In 2013, Reebok announced another fitness partnership with Les Mills, a group fitness and team training program in eighty countries in more than 15,000 studios. The agreement included Reebok footwear and clothing integration into Les Mills' fitness programs and media marketing. Yoga Fit Teacher Training, Schwinn Cycle Training TRX Suspension Training ACE Certified Personal Trainer Kick box Instructor (IFTA) Rep Reebok Instructor ( Reebok University ) Cycle Reebok Instructor ( Reebok University ) Aerobic Fitness Instructor (LMC-Health Directions). You can build diversity with your career with additional certifications that ACE offers. Become a hybrid pro with ACE by using our select certifications today! Reebok University REFIT RumbleRoller Run-Fit S Sadie Nardini Savvier Fitness. Browse discounts and programs you can access just for being an ACE Pro. As a former member of the Reebok University Training and Development Team, Prouty taught fitness programs to trainers and consumers around the world. Certified by ACSM as a Health Fitness Director, she also holds certifications from ACE and AFAA, and is a certified and licensed Wellcoach.

Athletic Training University Programs

After last year's CrossFit Games, I posted a piece entitled The CrossFit Games: An Action Sport Investment Opportunity in the Making.

A year later, and we are roughly one week away from the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games.

Call me Nostradamus.

And call this sport one of the fastest growing sports in America which only looks to build upon the financial and popular successes it has achieved in just one short year.

Reebok Joins the Fray and Raises the Stakes

The financial prosperity and enhanced visibility that CrossFit has enjoyed in the last 12 months have been tremendous, thanks in large part to their relatively new partnership with sports giant Reebok who has signed a 10-year deal with CrossFit.

'We have seen large gains in commercial success with bringing on Reebok as a partner to the CrossFit Games', according to Dave Castro, Director of the CrossFit Games as well as Director of Training.  'Reebok is helping us take the event to the next level in terms of exposure and what they can do for the athletes.'

One major difference and motivator for this year's competitors is the Herculean jump in prize money.  Said Mr. Castro, 'Our cash prize for the Games has jumped from $25,000 in 2010 to a total purse of $1 million for 2011, with $250,000 going to the top male and female athlete.  All thanks to Reebok.'

And Reebok has gone so far as to embrace and incorporate the CrossFit training regime into their corporate philosophy as well as their day-to-day operations.  'Reebok is really going full-bore, having opened up a CrossFit gym at Reebok HQ and hiring two elite CrossFit athletes as coaches for their staff', according to Kareem Mayan.  Mr. Mayan is the co-founder of SocialWOD.com, a 'WOD' tracking site for CrossFit affiliates.  WOD stands for 'Workout of the Day', and it's these daily workouts that craft and sculpt some of the fittest athletes in the world.

Reebok has obviously bought in without muscling in.  The feedback I've received from several CrossFit athletes is that Reebok has embraced their feedback on product design, which strategically will only build a stronger brand with the CrossFit demographic going forward and ultimately help the company produce the best-quality possible in both footwear and athletic wear for the elite athlete.

Financial Transformation Consistent with Personal Transformations

What continues to amaze me beyond the short-term financial transformation of CrossFit is how the sport/activity encourages and promotes personal transformation.

'Aside from putting me in the best shape of my life, it's the first fitness program I've been able to stick to over the long term without burning out', said Leah Polaski.  Ms. Polaski, Vice President with Renaissance Property Group, recently took 1st place in the Southeast Regionals and will be representing her CrossFit Atlanta affiliate in the women's individual competition during the 2011 Games.

'CrossFit is also the only program that has and continues to provide tangible results for me.  Whether in my body composition, my work capacity, or my strength.  They've all continued to improve over my first 2 years using CrossFit', said Ms. Polaski.

A former Division I soccer player at the University of Cincinnati, she certainly was no stranger to athleticism.  But in her post-college athletic training, she found traditional training methods both boring and uninspiring.  The same could be said for one of her training partner at CrossFit Atlanta, Dr. Ken Gall, a professor of mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech.  Ms. Polaski and Dr. Gall comprised half of a foursome from CrossFit Atlanta that placed 8th in the team competition at the 2010 Games.

'I was a college athlete, and after about 15 years off I am finally back to a competitive environment which is keeping me is good shape.  It feels like being an athlete again', said Dr. Gall.

Understanding the Diet of CrossFit

Dining out with a group of CrossFit athletes, you will most definitely hear the word 'Paleo' at least multiple times.  Reach for a piece of bread and they'll look at you like you have 3 eyes.

So what is the Paleo diet?  Ms. Polaski summed it up.  'You eat lean meats, vegetables, nuts, seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Nothing processed. The focus is on fresh high quality foods, and preferably seasonal foods.  If you could hunt or gather it, you can eat it.'

And the reasoning behind the diet according to Dr. Gall, 'The basic idea is that processed food is great for storage, transportation, and shelf life..but not so good for your body. Windows xp sp2 ue v6.  By avoiding processed foods like pasta, bread, and cereal, you can remain leaner and lighter..faster and stronger.  Oh, and you look better too.'

Discipline and Intensity are Staples of the CrossFit Athlete and  Attractive Brand Characteristics for Reebok

It's my sense that the reason Reebok embraced the sport is because it's athletes embody 2 characteristics that have considerable marketing panache and resonance.

Discipline and intensity.

When you watch these athletes compete, it fires up spectators and makes them consider alternate forms of training in their own personal fitness regimens.

'The beauty of the programming is that it is universally scalable', said Ms. Polaski.  'Meaning the movements can be modified to anyone's abilities and to overcome limitations.  The only thing someone must have is the willingness and desire to work hard and to push themselves.  The reason this program is so much more effective than others is its intensity, but intensity is not comfortable. It's very individual, but if you stick to it you will see results.'

Enhanced Buzz for the 2011 Games

Aside from the afore-mentioned financial enhancements, Mr. Castro expressed a heightened sense of exposure and buzz leading up to the 2011 Games largely thanks to Reebok's involvement.  'We have top CrossFit athletes on national commercials for Reebok.  Charles Barkely talking about his CrossFit workouts during the halftime shows of NBA playoff games, Chad Ochocinco twittering about his CrossFit workouts while various other NFL players talk about their CrossFit experiences.  And The Games were also featured in ESPN the Magazine.'

Reebok University Training Programs

The growth in the sport itself, according to Mr. Castro, is reflected in how the qualification process has evolved in a few short years.  '2007 was the first year of the event and we did not even have a qualification process.  70 total athletes registered.  Our numbers tripled in 2008, causing us to depart from open registration and move towards a qualification system.  We had Regionals in 2009 and then added another layer of qualifications in 2010.  30 sectionals and 15 regionals across the world.'

And just from 2010 and 2011, the growth was astounding.  Mr. Castro said, 'In 2011 we took the first round of qualifications online to help streamline the process.  The demand has been unreal.  We had 4,500 people compete in the process in 2010.  In 2011 we had 29,000 people enter the Open, including people from all continents and over 100 countries including China and India.'

With this level of growth, both financially and in terms of participation and exposure, expect CrossFit's exponential rise to continue in the near future.  With a brand name like Reebok backing them both in spirit and in finances, the sky is truly the limit.

Last year less than a week after the 2010 Games, I wrote that CrossFit was an investment opportunity in the making..and Reebok made it happen just a few short months later.

The next step is television.  Though streaming this year on ESPN3, I would not be surprised in the least to see ESPN, Fox, or Comcast-NBC add the Reebok CrossFit Games as part of their primary summer sports inventory by the 2012 Games.

On its own merits, the sport has the speed, strength, intensity and sex appeal to drive solid TV ratings, especially against soft competition during the summer sports calendar that really only features baseball.

But with Reebok aboard, it gives the sport that added level of commercial acceptance and legitimacy that networks are comforted by when analyzing what will drive ratings.

Dr. Patrick Rishe is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Walker School of Business at Webster University in St Louis, as well as Director of Sportsimpacts.

Follow Patrick on Twitter @SportsDocRock or visit www.patrickrishe.net

'>

I'm not often prophetic, but must pat myself on the back for calling this one.

After last year's CrossFit Games, I posted a piece entitled The CrossFit Games: An Action Sport Investment Opportunity in the Making.

A year later, and we are roughly one week away from the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games.

Call me Nostradamus.

And call this sport one of the fastest growing sports in America which only looks to build upon the financial and popular successes it has achieved in just one short year.

Reebok Joins the Fray and Raises the Stakes

The financial prosperity and enhanced visibility that CrossFit has enjoyed in the last 12 months have been tremendous, thanks in large part to their relatively new partnership with sports giant Reebok who has signed a 10-year deal with CrossFit.

'We have seen large gains in commercial success with bringing on Reebok as a partner to the CrossFit Games', according to Dave Castro, Director of the CrossFit Games as well as Director of Training. 'Reebok is helping us take the event to the next level in terms of exposure and what they can do for the athletes.'

One major difference and motivator for this year's competitors is the Herculean jump in prize money. Said Mr. Castro, 'Our cash prize for the Games has jumped from $25,000 in 2010 to a total purse of $1 million for 2011, with $250,000 going to the top male and female athlete. All thanks to Reebok.'

And Reebok has gone so far as to embrace and incorporate the CrossFit training regime into their corporate philosophy as well as their day-to-day operations. 'Reebok is really going full-bore, having opened up a CrossFit gym at Reebok HQ and hiring two elite CrossFit athletes as coaches for their staff', according to Kareem Mayan. Mr. Mayan is the co-founder of SocialWOD.com, a 'WOD' tracking site for CrossFit affiliates. WOD stands for 'Workout of the Day', and it's these daily workouts that craft and sculpt some of the fittest athletes in the world.

Reebok has obviously bought in without muscling in. The feedback I've received from several CrossFit athletes is that Reebok has embraced their feedback on product design, which strategically will only build a stronger brand with the CrossFit demographic going forward and ultimately help the company produce the best-quality possible in both footwear and athletic wear for the elite athlete.

Financial Transformation Consistent with Personal Transformations

What continues to amaze me beyond the short-term financial transformation of CrossFit is how the sport/activity encourages and promotes personal transformation.

'Aside from putting me in the best shape of my life, it's the first fitness program I've been able to stick to over the long term without burning out', said Leah Polaski. Ms. Polaski, Vice President with Renaissance Property Group, recently took 1st place in the Southeast Regionals and will be representing her CrossFit Atlanta affiliate in the women's individual competition during the 2011 Games.

'CrossFit is also the only program that has and continues to provide tangible results for me. Whether in my body composition, my work capacity, or my strength. They've all continued to improve over my first 2 years using CrossFit', said Ms. Polaski.

A former Division I soccer player at the University of Cincinnati, she certainly was no stranger to athleticism. But in her post-college athletic training, she found traditional training methods both boring and uninspiring. The same could be said for one of her training partner at CrossFit Atlanta, Dr. Ken Gall, a professor of mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech. Ms. Polaski and Dr. Gall comprised half of a foursome from CrossFit Atlanta that placed 8th in the team competition at the 2010 Games.

'I was a college athlete, and after about 15 years off I am finally back to a competitive environment which is keeping me is good shape. It feels like being an athlete again', said Dr. Gall.

Understanding the Diet of CrossFit

Dining out with a group of CrossFit athletes, you will most definitely hear the word 'Paleo' at least multiple times. Reach for a piece of bread and they'll look at you like you have 3 eyes.

So what is the Paleo diet? Ms. Polaski summed it up. 'You eat lean meats, vegetables, nuts, seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Nothing processed. The focus is on fresh high quality foods, and preferably seasonal foods. If you could hunt or gather it, you can eat it.'

And the reasoning behind the diet according to Dr. Gall, 'The basic idea is that processed food is great for storage, transportation, and shelf life..but not so good for your body. By avoiding processed foods like pasta, bread, and cereal, you can remain leaner and lighter..faster and stronger. Oh, and you look better too.'

Discipline and Intensity are Staples of the CrossFit Athlete and Attractive Brand Characteristics for Reebok

It's my sense that the reason Reebok embraced the sport is because it's athletes embody 2 characteristics that have considerable marketing panache and resonance.

Discipline and intensity.

When you watch these athletes compete, it fires up spectators and makes them consider alternate forms of training in their own personal fitness regimens.

'The beauty of the programming is that it is universally scalable', said Ms. Polaski. 'Meaning the movements can be modified to anyone's abilities and to overcome limitations. The only thing someone must have is the willingness and desire to work hard and to push themselves. The reason this program is so much more effective than others is its intensity, but intensity is not comfortable. It's very individual, but if you stick to it you will see results.'

Enhanced Buzz for the 2011 Games

Aside from the afore-mentioned financial enhancements, Mr. Castro expressed a heightened sense of exposure and buzz leading up to the 2011 Games largely thanks to Reebok's involvement. 'We have top CrossFit athletes on national commercials for Reebok. Charles Barkely talking about his CrossFit workouts during the halftime shows of NBA playoff games, Chad Ochocinco twittering about his CrossFit workouts while various other NFL players talk about their CrossFit experiences. And The Games were also featured in ESPN the Magazine.'

The growth in the sport itself, according to Mr. Castro, is reflected in how the qualification process has evolved in a few short years. '2007 was the first year of the event and we did not even have a qualification process. 70 total athletes registered. Our numbers tripled in 2008, causing us to depart from open registration and move towards a qualification system. We had Regionals in 2009 and then added another layer of qualifications in 2010. 30 sectionals and 15 regionals across the world.'

And just from 2010 and 2011, the growth was astounding. Mr. Castro said, 'In 2011 we took the first round of qualifications online to help streamline the process. The demand has been unreal. We had 4,500 people compete in the process in 2010. In 2011 we had 29,000 people enter the Open, including people from all continents and over 100 countries including China and India.'

With this level of growth, both financially and in terms of participation and exposure, expect CrossFit's exponential rise to continue in the near future. With a brand name like Reebok backing them both in spirit and in finances, the sky is truly the limit.

Last year less than a week after the 2010 Games, I wrote that CrossFit was an investment opportunity in the making..and Reebok made it happen just a few short months later.

The next step is television. Though streaming this year on ESPN3, I would not be surprised in the least to see ESPN, Fox, or Comcast-NBC add the Reebok CrossFit Games as part of their primary summer sports inventory by the 2012 Games.

On its own merits, the sport has the speed, strength, intensity and sex appeal to drive solid TV ratings, especially against soft competition during the summer sports calendar that really only features baseball.

But with Reebok aboard, it gives the sport that added level of commercial acceptance and legitimacy that networks are comforted by when analyzing what will drive ratings.

Dr. Patrick Rishe is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Walker School of Business at Webster University in St Louis, as well as Director of Sportsimpacts.

Follow Patrick on Twitter @SportsDocRock or visit www.patrickrishe.net

Annie Thorisdottir of Iceland, the Women's Champion of the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games

VIDEO..Perspectives from the Author

As a university professor teaching Principles Microeconomics, we invariably talk about production, costs, and profit maximization.

And as a fitness enthusiast, I try to share with my students academic research on the connection between fitness and profitability.

But the burgeoning relationship between Reebok and CrossFit may take this connection to another level altogether.

And in the process, potentially setting a prime example for corporate leaders regarding how a company can simultaneously enhance their brand, their sense of internal community, and their bottom line by encouraging employees to be open-minded about embracing team-building fitness regimens.

CORRELATION BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL FITNESS AND CORPORATE PROFITABILITY

Conceptually, understanding the connection between fitness and profitability is relatively straight-forward.  Other things held constant, the logic is as follows:

-  Corporate profitability rises with greater worker productivity and lower costs;

-  Healthier employees are (a) more likely to be productive because of greater energy levels and higher self-esteem, and (b) will cost the company less money by virtue of fewer sick days, lower absenteeism, and reduced health care costs;

-  Therefore, encouraging employees to be healthier should boost their productivity, lower costs, and thereby enhance corporate profitability.

The majority of the academic literature on this topic (consider Examples A, B, C, D, E, and F) generally supports the conceptual thinking above..though there is some research to the contrary (consider Example Z).

ADDRESSING EMPLOYEE EFFORT AND INTERACTION

Two of the greatest challenges facing managers at companies throughout the world are:

a)  How do we motivate our employees to provide their max level of effort?

b)  How do we break down inter-office barriers so as to enhance the level of community and teamwork within an organization?

Reebok training shoes women

After all, poorly motivated employees tend to be minimalists, and internal dysfunction among employees deflates morale and is seldom positive.  Neither are consistent with the goal of profit maximization.

To the first point and tying the conversation back to fitness, it is not uncommon for firms to have a fitness center on-site for staff or subsidize off-site gym memberships in order to reap the 'worker productivity benefits' espoused above.  Having such programs generally improves employee recruitment and retention as well.

To the latter point, it is not uncommon for firms to employ a 'company retreat' or similar 'team-building activities' to improve internal employee dynamics.

However, most companies show little interest or concern in how their employees attain physical fitness.  Either with respect to the style of workouts they engage in (be it running, weightlifting, and the like) or the setting (be it in isolation or in a group).

In short, most companies have not effectively sought ways to enhance both employee fitness levels and employee inter-office interactions in one fell swoop.

That said, Reebok and CrossFit may be on the cutting edge of how to wed corporate branding initiatives with work-style and life-style choices in a way that simultaneously addresses corporate issues associated with employee effort, engagement, and interaction. How to delete download files on macbook pro windows 10.

MAKING GROUP FITNESS PART OF CORPORATE CULTURE: THE REEBOK-CROSSFIT PARADIGM

After being acquired by Adidas in 2006, Reebok was seeking new direction.  'We lacked true brand management', according to Reebok's President Uli Becker.  'We lacked strategy.  We asked ourselves 'what will we stand for?' '

The strategic direction they chose was to become a powerhouse in fitness, building upon their history dating back to the 80s when Reebok was instrumental in women's fitness and aerobics.

With this new strategic objective in mind and using product innovation as their calling card, they introduced such footwear as Easytones, Zigs, and RealFlex which significantly boosted the company's profile and street credibility in recent years.

But with respect to fitness itself they wanted to 'change the process' according to Mr. Becker.  'We wanted to deflect the boredom and drudgery of the journey usually associated with working out'.

As Reebok was re-establishing its brand, CrossFit introduced the sport of fitness to the world in 2007 at the inaugural CrossFit Games under the guidance of founder Coach Greg Glassman.

CrossFit itself is a strength and conditioning regimen that combines weightlifting, sprinting, gymnastics, powerlifting, kettlebell training, plyometrics, rowing, and medicine ball training.  It requires proficiency in 10 areas of fitness including endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy.

As their sport and visibility grew over the next several years, it became apparent that CrossFit was becoming a potentially robust sponsorship opportunity for an astute company wise enough to buy into CrossFit during its rapid expansionary phase.

Reebok was that company, entering into a 10-year partnership with CrossFit as of November 2010.

'Most sports apparel and footwear brands are about making people fans of a team or sport.  We wanted to be the company to encourage people to be more active', said Reebok's Chief Marketing Officer Matt O'Toole.  'We wanted to show what fitness can do to people's lives, so the partnership with CrossFit was a natural fit.'

And not more than one year removed from the birth of this partnership, Reebok has taken this partnership to heart as they have embraced and engrained the CrossFit fitness approach into their corporate lifestyle in numerous ways.

1)  They have the largest CrossFit 'box' (CF lingo for 'gym') in the world on-site at the company's headquarters in suburban Boston.

2)  They have hired 5 CrossFit trainers onto their full-time staff (including Head Coach Austin Malleolo and fellow coach Denise Thomas) to not only engage in brand management and product feedback but also be available on-site to train Reebok employees daily in CrossFit WODs (CF lingo for 'Workout of the Day' where the trainer leads the class through a series of challenging physical exercises).

Tying these developments in with my earlier discussion of fitness and performance, Reebok's willingness to make CrossFit part of their corporate culture has had noticeable impacts on inter-office employee dynamics.

'It breaks down the corporate hierarchy, encourages greater collaboration and co-worker engagement, and creates greater insight on marketing our products better', according to Reebok's Head of Fitness Chris Froio.

It boosts employee morale by giving workers water-cooler and lunch-time discussions over how they survived that day's WOD.  'In all my years with the company, I've never seen anything grab employees this way', said Reebok's VP of Human Resources Bill Holmes.  'Furthermore, the programming is scalable and inclusive so that there is something for everyone.'

It creates a greater sense of corporate community because employees appreciate that their employer cares enough about them to provide such unique fitness opportunities in the comfort of their own workplace.

It creates a greater sense of corporate purpose in that Reebok employees are more engaged in pushing the CrossFit brand if they are able to see the material benefits of the sport upon their own personal fitness and wellness levels.  They better identify with the end-product, and this lends itself to greater passion in trying to sell the product.

CONNECTION BETWEEN COMPETITIVE GROUP FITNESS AND COGNITIVE ABILITY

And it just might make people more productive cognitively as well, which goes a step further from the earlier assertion that being fit may make one more productive simply from having more energy and alertness.

Harvard Professor Dr. John Ratey is one of the leading authorities on how exercise can impact brain activity.  In his 2008 book entitled 'Spark', Dr. Ratey's research shows how aerobic exercise enhances our brains to learn, improve mood and attention, lower stress and anxiety, and even reduce some of the effects of aging on brain activity.

The edge that CrossFit may have compared to standard isolated training programs with respect to sparking cognitive ability is that the short burst, quick change of pace format inherent in a typical CrossFit WOD arguably creates a more heightened sense of alertness and awareness than, say, jogging 3 miles around a track or simply going from one piece of equipment to another in the weight room.

The CrossFit approach forces the practitioner to almost put themselves into 'survival mode' both physically and mentally, which may create greater cognitive sparks post-workout than the more traditional approaches to fitness.

This may help to explain why Reebok is heavily vested in tying CrossFit training methods to the sports of hockey and lacrosse..2 sports where short, quick and  unanticipated bursts of energy and agility are necessary for athletic success.

THE POTENTIAL OF GROUP FITNESS REGIMES TO ENHANCE THE CORPORATE EXPERIENCE

Ultimately, corporate leaders want their employees to be happy.  A happy employee is more likely to work hard, engage their colleagues, and take pride in the company's mission and profitability.

My take-away is that group fitness dynamics have the unique ability to serve dual purposes in corporate America which could enhance a company's bottom line in 2 key ways:

1)  Such fitness programs encourage workers to be more fit, which based on academic research should make them more productive due to higher energy levels, greater alertness, greater self-confidence, less absenteeism, and (according to Dr. Ratey) greater cognitive activity.

2)  Such fitness programs foster a corporate culture which enhances the level of community, morale, connectivity, and pride by providing an opportunity for colleagues to engage in group exercises that foster a sense of accomplishment and teamwork while creating a heightened sense of awareness of the corporate mission and brand initiatives.

In the case of the partnership between Reebok and CrossFit, the relationship is still too young and the data still too sparse to unequivocally conclude that creating rigorous, team-building group fitness opportunities will boost Reebok's operating profits.

But judging from the on-campus buzz and banter I witnessed over the course of my 2-day on-site visit, it is clear that employee energy, morale, interaction and engagement-to-tasks is high..as is their passion to sell the fitness brand which has already had transformative effects upon the company's strategic direction as well as the wellness of its employees.

With an impassioned and motivated workforce who can speak with first-hand knowledge regarding the benefits of the brand they are selling, it's hard to imagine anything but success for this corporate partnership and strategic branding initiative.

**********************************************

Dr. Patrick Rishe is the Director of Sportsimpacts, a sports consulting firm specializing in market research and economic impact analysis for professional and amateur sporting events.  He is also an Associate Professor of Economics at the Walker School of Business at Webster University in St Louis.

Follow Patrick on Twitter @SportsDocRock or visit www.patrickrishe.net

'>

Annie Thorisdottir of Iceland, the Women's Champion of the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games

As a university professor teaching Principles Microeconomics, we invariably talk about production, costs, and profit maximization.

And as a fitness enthusiast, I try to share with my students academic research on the connection between fitness and profitability.

But the burgeoning relationship between Reebok and CrossFit may take this connection to another level altogether.

And in the process, potentially setting a prime example for corporate leaders regarding how a company can simultaneously enhance their brand, their sense of internal community, and their bottom line by encouraging employees to be open-minded about embracing team-building fitness regimens.

CORRELATION BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL FITNESS AND CORPORATE PROFITABILITY

Conceptually, understanding the connection between fitness and profitability is relatively straight-forward. Other things held constant, the logic is as follows:

- Corporate profitability rises with greater worker productivity and lower costs;

- Healthier employees are (a) more likely to be productive because of greater energy levels and higher self-esteem, and (b) will cost the company less money by virtue of fewer sick days, lower absenteeism, and reduced health care costs;

- Therefore, encouraging employees to be healthier should boost their productivity, lower costs, and thereby enhance corporate profitability.

The majority of the academic literature on this topic (consider Examples A, B, C, D, E, and F) generally supports the conceptual thinking above..though there is some research to the contrary (consider Example Z).

ADDRESSING EMPLOYEE EFFORT AND INTERACTION

Two of the greatest challenges facing managers at companies throughout the world are:

a) How do we motivate our employees to provide their max level of effort?

b) How do we break down inter-office barriers so as to enhance the level of community and teamwork within an organization?

After all, poorly motivated employees tend to be minimalists, and internal dysfunction among employees deflates morale and is seldom positive. Neither are consistent with the goal of profit maximization.

To the first point and tying the conversation back to fitness, it is not uncommon for firms to have a fitness center on-site for staff or subsidize off-site gym memberships in order to reap the 'worker productivity benefits' espoused above. Having such programs generally improves employee recruitment and retention as well.

To the latter point, it is not uncommon for firms to employ a 'company retreat' or similar 'team-building activities' to improve internal employee dynamics.

However, most companies show little interest or concern in how their employees attain physical fitness. Either with respect to the style of workouts they engage in (be it running, weightlifting, and the like) or the setting (be it in isolation or in a group).

In short, most companies have not effectively sought ways to enhance both employee fitness levels and employee inter-office interactions in one fell swoop.

That said, Reebok and CrossFit may be on the cutting edge of how to wed corporate branding initiatives with work-style and life-style choices in a way that simultaneously addresses corporate issues associated with employee effort, engagement, and interaction.

MAKING GROUP FITNESS PART OF CORPORATE CULTURE: THE REEBOK-CROSSFIT PARADIGM

After being acquired by Adidas in 2006, Reebok was seeking new direction. 'We lacked true brand management', according to Reebok's President Uli Becker. 'We lacked strategy. We asked ourselves 'what will we stand for?' '

The strategic direction they chose was to become a powerhouse in fitness, building upon their history dating back to the 80s when Reebok was instrumental in women's fitness and aerobics.

With this new strategic objective in mind and using product innovation as their calling card, they introduced such footwear as Easytones, Zigs, and RealFlex which significantly boosted the company's profile and street credibility in recent years.

But with respect to fitness itself they wanted to 'change the process' according to Mr. Becker. 'We wanted to deflect the boredom and drudgery of the journey usually associated with working out'.

As Reebok was re-establishing its brand, CrossFit introduced the sport of fitness to the world in 2007 at the inaugural CrossFit Games under the guidance of founder Coach Greg Glassman.

CrossFit itself is a strength and conditioning regimen that combines weightlifting, sprinting, gymnastics, powerlifting, kettlebell training, plyometrics, rowing, and medicine ball training. It requires proficiency in 10 areas of fitness including endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy.

As their sport and visibility grew over the next several years, it became apparent that CrossFit was becoming a potentially robust sponsorship opportunity for an astute company wise enough to buy into CrossFit during its rapid expansionary phase.

Reebok was that company, entering into a 10-year partnership with CrossFit as of November 2010.

'Most sports apparel and footwear brands are about making people fans of a team or sport. We wanted to be the company to encourage people to be more active', said Reebok's Chief Marketing Officer Matt O'Toole. 'We wanted to show what fitness can do to people's lives, so the partnership with CrossFit was a natural fit.'

And not more than one year removed from the birth of this partnership, Reebok has taken this partnership to heart as they have embraced and engrained the CrossFit fitness approach into their corporate lifestyle in numerous ways.

1) They have the largest CrossFit 'box' (CF lingo for 'gym') in the world on-site at the company's headquarters in suburban Boston.

2) They have hired 5 CrossFit trainers onto their full-time staff (including Head Coach Austin Malleolo and fellow coach Denise Thomas) to not only engage in brand management and product feedback but also be available on-site to train Reebok employees daily in CrossFit WODs (CF lingo for 'Workout of the Day' where the trainer leads the class through a series of challenging physical exercises).

Tying these developments in with my earlier discussion of fitness and performance, Reebok's willingness to make CrossFit part of their corporate culture has had noticeable impacts on inter-office employee dynamics.

'It breaks down the corporate hierarchy, encourages greater collaboration and co-worker engagement, and creates greater insight on marketing our products better', according to Reebok's Head of Fitness Chris Froio.

It boosts employee morale by giving workers water-cooler and lunch-time discussions over how they survived that day's WOD. 'In all my years with the company, I've never seen anything grab employees this way', said Reebok's VP of Human Resources Bill Holmes. 'Furthermore, the programming is scalable and inclusive so that there is something for everyone.'

It creates a greater sense of corporate community because employees appreciate that their employer cares enough about them to provide such unique fitness opportunities in the comfort of their own workplace.

It creates a greater sense of corporate purpose in that Reebok employees are more engaged in pushing the CrossFit brand if they are able to see the material benefits of the sport upon their own personal fitness and wellness levels. They better identify with the end-product, and this lends itself to greater passion in trying to sell the product.

CONNECTION BETWEEN COMPETITIVE GROUP FITNESS AND COGNITIVE ABILITY

And it just might make people more productive cognitively as well, which goes a step further from the earlier assertion that being fit may make one more productive simply from having more energy and alertness.

Harvard Professor Dr. John Ratey is one of the leading authorities on how exercise can impact brain activity. In his 2008 book entitled 'Spark', Dr. Ratey's research shows how aerobic exercise enhances our brains to learn, improve mood and attention, lower stress and anxiety, and even reduce some of the effects of aging on brain activity.

Reebok Cross Training

The edge that CrossFit may have compared to standard isolated training programs with respect to sparking cognitive ability is that the short burst, quick change of pace format inherent in a typical CrossFit WOD arguably creates a more heightened sense of alertness and awareness than, say, jogging 3 miles around a track or simply going from one piece of equipment to another in the weight room.

The CrossFit approach forces the practitioner to almost put themselves into 'survival mode' both physically and mentally, which may create greater cognitive sparks post-workout than the more traditional approaches to fitness.

Meaning Of Training Programs

This may help to explain why Reebok is heavily vested in tying CrossFit training methods to the sports of hockey and lacrosse..2 sports where short, quick and unanticipated bursts of energy and agility are necessary for athletic success.

THE POTENTIAL OF GROUP FITNESS REGIMES TO ENHANCE THE CORPORATE EXPERIENCE

Ultimately, corporate leaders want their employees to be happy. A happy employee is more likely to work hard, engage their colleagues, and take pride in the company's mission and profitability.

My take-away is that group fitness dynamics have the unique ability to serve dual purposes in corporate America which could enhance a company's bottom line in 2 key ways:

1) Such fitness programs encourage workers to be more fit, which based on academic research should make them more productive due to higher energy levels, greater alertness, greater self-confidence, less absenteeism, and (according to Dr. Ratey) greater cognitive activity.

2) Such fitness programs foster a corporate culture which enhances the level of community, morale, connectivity, and pride by providing an opportunity for colleagues to engage in group exercises that foster a sense of accomplishment and teamwork while creating a heightened sense of awareness of the corporate mission and brand initiatives.

In the case of the partnership between Reebok and CrossFit, the relationship is still too young and the data still too sparse to unequivocally conclude that creating rigorous, team-building group fitness opportunities will boost Reebok's operating profits.

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But judging from the on-campus buzz and banter I witnessed over the course of my 2-day on-site visit, it is clear that employee energy, morale, interaction and engagement-to-tasks is high..as is their passion to sell the fitness brand which has already had transformative effects upon the company's strategic direction as well as the wellness of its employees.

With an impassioned and motivated workforce who can speak with first-hand knowledge regarding the benefits of the brand they are selling, it's hard to imagine anything but success for this corporate partnership and strategic branding initiative.

Job Training Programs

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Dr. Patrick Rishe is the Director of Sportsimpacts, a sports consulting firm specializing in market research and economic impact analysis for professional and amateur sporting events. He is also an Associate Professor of Economics at the Walker School of Business at Webster University in St Louis.

Follow Patrick on Twitter @SportsDocRock or visit www.patrickrishe.net