Exploring CrossFit as a Site of Transition for Wounded Veterans: A Thematic Analysis

Transition from active duty to civilian life places stress on veterans, which is amplified in injured veterans, many experiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including depression and anxiety. The purpose of this study was to explore how integration into community-based fitness affected transition from military identity toward a healthy civilian identity for wounded veterans. Participants with service connected disabilities were recruited through a non-profit for a 6-month fitness intervention at a CrossFit® gym. Five veterans (all men, ages 29-43) maintained journals of their experience. We conducted thematic analysis of the submitted journals. Three overarching themes were identified: reconciling personal identity with transition out of the military, identification of health outcomes associated with community integrated fitness, and the intersection of military and CrossFit cultural norms of self-regulation and goal setting. The findings support and extend previous understandings of post-military transitioning and community reintegration of wounded veterans. The importance of goal setting, mastery, and belonging associated with participant identity (both pre- and post-transition) were key findings, and we argue that these elements, central to both the military and CrossFit cultures, likely contributed to the effectiveness of immersion in the CrossFit community to community reintegration of wounded veterans.