The question of defining fitness has been a challenge for the fitness industry since its inception. All the established certifying agencies have so far failed to produce a clear working definition. CrossFit founder, Greg Glassman has defined fitness, as "increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains." The ability to accomplish all kinds (modes) of real work at all time domains (from a few seconds of heavy or explosive effort all the way up to sustained activity for many hours).
Work capacity has two components: work and time. This is real work as measured by the accomplishment of some observable task. But fitness is not just about work per se. Increased fitness means having the ability both to get more work done in less time and to sustain high levels of work output for longer periods of time.
From a practical standpoint, CrossFit workouts are an outstanding way to measure this. If your times are dropping and your loads are increasing on a wide variety of workouts, your power output is increasing and you are getting fitter across broad time and modal domains. This is indisputable.
2009 CrossFit Games
WOD
12 Push Press (115 lbs/ 75 lbs)
20 Box Jumps
5 Rounds
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