29:33 Andrea Ager missed qualifying for the CrossFit Games in 2012 by just one place. She spoke about the changes she has made in her training, why she needed a coach and how she has prepared for the SoCal Regional this year. She also gave her thoughts on the Regional events and discussed her strategies leading into the weekend.

3:41 Chris Dozois finished at the top of the Open leaderboard in the South West, placing ahead of Games competitors Chris Spealler and Tommy Hackenbruck. Dozois, 41, also topped the worldwide leaderboard in the Masters 40-44 Division, and his Front Range CrossFit team finished first in the South West. On the strength of a phenomenal performance, Dozois had all competition options available. He chose to decline his individual invite to compete as part of a team, though he still has an invitation to the Games as a master if the Front Range squad falls short of its bid. Dozois discussed his decision to go team and explained why he likes to compete. He also talked about the importance of recovery and broke down how he would approach a few of the Regional events.

28:55 Kurtis Bowler started Rainier CrossFit and was the eighth person to affiliate at the time. He spoke about how he actually took a trip to train at Coach Glassman’s original box in Santa Cruz, Calif., and he shared his thoughts on the growing CrossFit affiliate community. Bowler is also the director of the North West Regional, and he described all the work that goes into making the event a success. He reflected on some of his favorite CrossFit events and performances over the years and gave his opinion on what makes an ideal Regional team. Finally, he talked about the Rainier CrossFit strongman and strongwoman competition and why it’s so important to him.

2:28 Nadia Shatila and several CrossFit Belltown athletes were fortunate enough to attend a recent lecture by Coach Greg Glassman at the University of Washington, and Shatila talked about what she took away from the presentation from CrossFit’s Founder and CEO. Moving on to her own affiliate, Shatila explained the philosophy behind her facility, which is far less spartan than many boxes. She described some of the programs she offers and how the basics class, bootcamp and other programs differ from regular CrossFit classes. As a road warrior who’s always on the move, Shatila explained how she’s able to balance her gym, her training and her work with CrossFit HQ’s Seminar Staff.

31:25 Miranda Oldroyd came on the show to talk about her preparations for the CrossFit Games Northern California Regional, which starts May 24. A trainer at NorCal CrossFit, Oldroyd explained the importance of building a sense of community and keeping CrossFit classes fun. Oldroyd spent some of the last year recovering from a broken neck, and she talked about her rehab as well as other areas of focus. She also detailed her pre- and post-workout nutrition and how she has to eat 20 Zone blocks a day just to maintain her weight.

2:03 Jessa Lemoine is the head trainer at CrossFit Back Bay. The box is only three blocks away from where the bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon, and Lemoine gave an update on the situation in the area, including how the city was locked down during the manhunt for the second suspect. After placing 20th at last year’s Games, Lemoine will go team this year. She talked about her choice and described her team’s preparations for Regionals.

28:06 Cherie Chan described what it’s like to meet CrossFit athletes from around the world as a member of HQ’s Level 1 Seminar Staff. Chan, a great athlete who’s married to CrossFit Games second-place finisher Matt Chan, explained how she maintains a training plan with near-constant travel. She described her nutrition and how she answers nutrition questions from others. Chan talked about weighing and measuring food to establish a baseline from which to experiment, and she explained how she knows when and why she needs to make changes to her nutrition. Finally, she gave simple advice to anyone wanting to evaluate his or her own nutrition goals.

2:54 CrossFit Southie is about a mile away from the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Amy Ferro described what it᾿s been like in the Boston area in the wake of the bombings and explained how her community has reacted to the event. She would like to create a fundraiser to help the family of Martin Richard, the 8-year-old boy who was killed in the blasts. Ferro also talked about how she builds culture at CrossFit Southie and explained how she runs classes for athletes of various levels.

34:08 CrossFit Back Bay is only about three blocks from where the explosions went off and is in the area considered part of the crime scene. Joshua Plosker said members are bonding during the aftermath and described how the community is especially important right now. Plosker talked about the growth of the entire CrossFit community in the Boston area and how that sense of community translates into a lot of excitement for the upcoming North East Regional on May 17. Finally, Plosker described how members of the CrossFit Back Bay coaching staff make it a priority to give members a first-rate experience in every class.

3:30 Tanya Wagner is a member of CrossFit’s Level 1 Seminar Staff, owner of CrossFit Apex and a commentator for CrossFit Media. She’s also a top athlete who earned a spot to compete in the Mid Atlantic Regional. She talked about preparing for the next round of competition, where the workouts are announced ahead of time, and she described how she focuses on recovery. A veteran athlete, Wagner explained how the level of competition has increased since she first started competing. Finally, she gave advice to affiliate owners who are coaching and training a small group of athletes for specific Regional workouts while at the same time training many more for life and general fitness.

31:56 Pat Sherwood is the host of the CrossFit Games Update Show and offered a look back at the excitement of the five-week CrossFit Games Open. Sherwood looked ahead to the Regional round and named a few athletes to watch, and he offered his opinion on whether someone can beat Rich Froning Jr., the reigning Games champ who also won the Open. Sherwood has experimented with different programming over the years, and he detailed his results since a Jan. 1 commitment to CrossFit.com programming. Sherwood, who served in the U.S. Navy, explained why CrossFit has Hero workouts and what’s involved in getting a workout named after a fallen protector.

3:12 Meghan Russell owns CrossFit Jax, “The Hotbox,” and her team is six spots away from qualifying for Regionals. She explained how they plan on making it to the next level of competition, as well as how they’ve been training and running the Open workouts. Russell discussed how the gym’s programming is somewhat specialized but general physical preparedness is not sacrificed. Looking forward, Russell explained how the team members will prepare for the Regional competition if they earn a spot. Finally, she detailed some of the things that make her box unique, including Endless Summer Beach Workouts and Show the Love Month.

32.15 CrossFit Vitality, Steve Pinkerton’s affiliate, had the honor of hosting the live announcement of Event 13.1 of the CrossFit Games Open, and he described what it was like to be a part of the production. Pinkerton explained how he keeps things fresh for himself and his athletes, and he defined what it means to him to chase excellence at his gym. Pinkerton strives to build the right kind of community and culture at his affiliate, and he shared a few things that have helped CrossFit Vitality succeed.

2:12 Aimee Lyons started CrossFit King of Prussia in 2008 and changed locations four times in the first year. The affiliate has continued to grow and is now adding an additional 1,200 square feet to the 8,000 it already has, allowing Lyons to run specialty classes alongside normal CrossFit classes. Lyons talked about how her pricing has evolved over time before moving on to her gym’s participation in the 2013 CrossFit Games Open.

29:56 Joe Alexander is a flowmaster for the CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Course. He described his background and told how he started CrossFit with Pat Sherwood and then transitioned into a job with CrossFit HQ. He’s been around long enough to see some changes in the Level 1 and says the current seminar has always stayed true to Coach Glassman’s original teachings. Alexander programs for and coaches top Games athlete Matt Chan, and he explained why he thinks Matt chose him. Matt and his wife, Cherie, are living in a trailer and traveling around the country, which makes for some interesting challenges for Alexander, but the coach described how elite fitness can be obtained while keeping things relatively simple.

3:12 Australian Lily Cosgrove is a former lawyer who is now a member of CrossFit’s Level 1 Seminar Staff and co-owner, with her husband, of CrossFit Mitchelton. She talked about how the CrossFit Games Open is going Down Under and described how her affiliate has joined two others to host the weekly workout in an event they call Friday Night Lights. Cosgrove had a baby about six months ago and explained how she did CrossFit right through her pregnancy.

28:26 Josh Everett has stood on the CrossFit Games podium in 2007 and 2008 and explained what his goals are in the 2012 Open. Everett talked about how the level of competition has increased dramatically since the early days of the Games, and he broke down Event 13.3, which gave athletes a chance to beat their results from last year. The veteran offered advice to anyone thinking about redoing Open workouts before talking about how his training has changed as he’s gotten older and accepted increased family and career responsibilities.

3:11 Ute CrossFit’s team won the Affiliate Cup at last year’s CrossFit Games, and team captain and head trainer Tommy Hackenbruck came on the show to talk about this year’s squad. He discussed Event 13.1 and talked about his personal strategy for the rest of the CrossFit Games Open. He also talked about the crippling illness that affects all CrossFit competitors at this time of year: “leaderboarditis” plagues 98 percent of Open athletes, and there is no cure. Hackenbruck says he encourages all athletes at his affiliate to participate in the Open but explained how he makes sure CrossFit the sport doesn’t overshadow CrossFit the fitness program.

36:32 Taylor Richards-Lindsay made a brief guest appearance and spoke about her performance in the first workout of the 2013 competitive season.

38:15 John McLaughlin has already put in several months of planning to make sure this year’s South East Regional runs smoothly. He came on the show to give listeners an idea of the preparation it takes to run a regional event, and he spoke about visiting Equador in preparation for the South America Regional. McLaughlin is a big part of the CrossFit Games finals, and he talked about the variety of responsibilities he’s had at the Home Depot Center, including running the Masters competition in 2011. Going out on a limb early in the season, he ended by providing his predictions for the podium at this year’s CrossFit Games.

4:41 When she was younger, Nicki Garcia was active in dance and a variety of sports. That ended 13 years ago when she suffered a traumatic injury in a car accident. Told by doctors that she would never be active again, she found CrossFit a year ago and reclaimed her fitness. Garcia explained what the first few months of training were like and why CrossFit made such a difference. Of interest to anyone working with an injured athlete, Garcia detailed how she scaled workouts when she became active again, and she gave some great advice to coaches training athletes with injuries.

29:01 As a two-time CrossFit Games competitor, Katie Hogan gave her thoughts on the beginning of the CrossFit competition season and Open Event 13.1. She explained how she mentally prepares for a workout and offered advice on how to warm up for 13.1. Hogan is known for her strength—think 385-lb. deadlift and 225-lb. clean and jerk—and she described how she trains women who want to gain strength.

2:26 Jon Jansen played in the NFL for 11 seasons and now owns CrossFit Petoskey. Jansen talked about playing for the University of Michigan when the Wolverines won the national championship in 1997, and he compared his training through his college and NFL career to his current CrossFit regime. He explained how his career as an offensive tackle would have improved had he known about CrossFit when drafted by the Washington Redskins in 1999, and he described how he would use CrossFit to train someone for the NFL Combine. Jansen currently trains high-school and college athletes and gave advice to other trainers working with young athletes.

29:26 Joe Westerlin runs CrossFit Omaha and is also a member of CrossFit’s Level 1 Seminar Staff. In his “spare time,” he coaches CrossFit Games athletes Kyle Kasperbauer and Stacie Tovar. Westerlin talked about the pressure he puts on himself as a coach and the faith his athletes put in him. The Nebraska resident explained how he programs year round for his competitive athletes, as well as how he coaches competitors while still focusing on his general members. Echoing the thoughts of coaches in boxes around the world, Westerlin said he strives for excellence as a coach and tries to educates himself so he can produce the best results in his athletes.

5:40 Irene Mejia has been overweight her entire life and tried everything she could to lose weight. Once she was diagnosed with diabetes, she knew she had to shed pounds to be healthy. She lost about 35 lb. on her own but got even greater results when she joined a CrossFit affiliate a few blocks from her house. She described how she was initially intimidated by CrossFit but said various success stories convinced her that the program could be her answer. To date, she has lost almost 200 lb., and she has formed lifetime friends in the CrossFit community. Interestingly, she has traveled to 74 different affiliates to work out. Finally, Meija talked about competing in the Open and why the competitive side of CrossFit is important to her.

30:33 In January of this year, Bill Grundler made the decision to leave his full-time job as a firefighter to run CrossFit Inferno. He explained that his immediate focus was on strengthening the infrastructure of his business, and he started by establishing an internship and training program. A top athlete, Grundler talked about his own training, his personal outlook for the Open and his desire to qualify for the CrossFit Games. Grundler could compete as a Master, but he talked about instead going head to head with the studs in the Individual category. Grundler said he thinks it’s valuable for the average CrossFitter to compete even if qualifying for Regionals or the Games is unlikely. In terms of programming, Grundler explained how he trains his own athletes to handle the volume and weights associated with his aggressive programming.

The Words of Wisdom are from the CrossFit Albuquerque blog: Advice on Approaching the CrossFit Total.

4:25 Dallin Frampton is the owner of new affiliate CrossFit Spearhead, and he’s also leading CrossFit’s charitable Hope for Kenya project. Frampton explained that Hope for Kenya exists to help build schools, water cisterns, latrine systems and rotational gardens in the area around Mombasa. CrossFit’s efforts are dramatically changing the area, and Frampton described how he initially connected with Coach Greg Glassman to get CrossFit’s founder and CEO involved. Frampton detailed how people can get involved in the efforts and talked about the Hope for Kenya fundraising event that will take place Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013.

30:02 Justin Bergh is the general manager of the CrossFit Games, and he explained how record numbers of CrossFit athletes are expected to participate in the Open, which starts March 6. Bergh detailed some of the changes fans and athletes can expect to see this year, as well as why he thinks the changes will make for a better competition. Bergh spoke about the growth and popularity of the Games but reminded that the Games are only a small part of the CrossFit program. Finally, Bergh described the Online Judges Course and why he thinks fans, athletes and most importantly judges will benefit from the course.

55min 7sec

The Words of Wisdom are from the Morgan Junction CrossFit article Need a Stronger Grip? The article talked about training to increase your grip strength when working with kettlebells.

4:20 Level 1 Seminar Staff member Jason Leydon also works with CrossFit Endurance and owns CrossFit Milford in Milford, Conn. He described his affiliate and its programs, as well as how he selects and develops coaches. He also detailed his corporate fitness program and virtual training program. Leydon talked about being on the Level 1 Seminar Staff and CrossFit Endurance team, and he gave a rundown of competitors to watch during the upcoming competition season, including CrossFit Games veteran Rob Orlando.

32:07 Emily Turner is a TV broadcaster who has moved several times for work. She described what the larger CrossFit community means to her every time she moves to a new town. Turner talked about what she looks for when choosing a new affiliate, as well as what she looks for in a coach. She says the vibe or culture of the gym has to match her personality. As a journalist, Turner explained how she tries to present the CrossFit community in her features.

31:26 Aja Barto and his brother Aryan started Behemoth CrossFit last June, and Aja talked about how he selected the name of his affiliate and got people into the box. Behemoth CrossFit is actually located in a basketball court inside a fitness facility, and Aja has to be creative in his programming. He described how he plans the workouts and why he’s so detailed when writing the WOD on his website. Finally, Aja commented on his own training in preparation for the Open, as well as how rewarding it is to see his athletes progress.

The Words of Wisdom are from Mark’s Daily Apple and highlight a list of things you probably did as a kid but might not be doing now: 16 Things You Should Have Never Stopped Doing.

8:06 P.J. Cote was serious about improving his life, so he sold his shares of a business in order to focus on losing weight. He joined a CrossFit gym, and to date he’s down about 140 lb. and well on his way of reaching his target of 220 lb. He described what life was like when he weighed 420 lb. and explained why he chose CrossFit to help him accomplish his goals. Cote talked about his first months of CrossFit programming and recalled how his first workout left him unable to walk properly for five days. Cote says the community aspect of CrossFit has helped him stay consistent. For more of Cote’s story, read the CrossFit Community article 120 Pounds and Counting.

38:27 CrossFit BGI has been open since 2007, and owner Dana Lynch said the affiliate is experiencing record growth. Lynch recalled the early days when they had to explain what CrossFit was to a new athlete but said now people come in with a basic knowledge and a desire to do what they saw on ESPN. Lynch says her staff focuses on quality movement and explained why it’s so important for her and her trainers to attend as many CrossFit specialty seminars as possible. After touching on programming and Open prep, she talked about social media and how she challenges her members regularly.

The Words of Wisdom are from Doug Chapman of CrossFit Ann Arbor/Hyperfit USA. In Being Consistent, Chapman explains how important consistency is to training and any other endeavor in which you desire success.

4:52 Yvetta Ripley turned 50 and knew her life needed to change. Living a sedentary lifestyle made worse by smoking seemed to compound her multiple sclerosis symptoms. When her husband suggested CrossFit in 2010, she decided to give it a try, knowing she could quit if she didn’t like it. It turns out she enjoyed CrossFit right from the beginning. Ripley described how her life has changed since starting CrossFit and how she is now off all her MS medicine. She also explained how the community at her box is almost like family and provides constant encouragement.

23:49 Darren Ellis told his story of finding CrossFit after coming from an exercise-science background in college. He detailed how and why he decided to start CrossFit New Zealand, the first affiliate in the country. CrossFit has grown rapidly since then, and he told how he works with other affiliate owners to promote community in his country. Ellis explained how CrossFit flew in the face of conventional fitness ideas and made him look past his textbooks to find a new definition of fitness. Finally, he talked about scaling and gave advice to coaches who need to modify workouts for special athletes.

The Words of Wisdom are from the CrossFit Verve blog, in which CrossFit athletes are encouraged to reflect on the accomplishments of the past year before planning goals for 2013.

6:08 Chris Irwin and his wife own the only CrossFit affiliate in the Virgin Islands, Reebok CrossFit St. Thomas. Irwin described how he found CrossFit and started an affiliate, and he talked about his athletic background as a member of the Navy crew team. According to Irwin, CrossFit is growing in St. Thomas, and he described his box’s community and some of the ways they get local businesses involved in fun events on the beach. Finally, Irwin talked about how he encourages his athletes to compete in the sport of CrossFit as well as enjoy it as a general physical preparedness program.

32:32 With his wife, Zach Forrest owns CrossFit Max Effort in Las Vegas, Nev. Forrest described how Dave Castro introduced him to CrossFit when he was in the Navy, which was fortunate because Forrest met his future wife at his first CrossFit affiliate. Forrest explained how it was a natural transition for him to start coaching and said he created a partnership with another affiliate owner in the beginning. In the tourist destination of Las Vegas, CrossFit Max Effort gets constant drop-ins, and Forrest described how he manages the traffic. He also explained how he programs around the timing of the CrossFit Games and uses two-month cycles to emphasize different aspects of training. Similar to Irwin, he says the sport of CrossFit is a priority in his programming but doesn’t take precedence over CrossFit as a GPP program.

The Words of Wisdom are from Lisbeth Darsh, who offers some simple but effective diet suggestions for use during the food orgies of the holiday season: Holiday Advice You Didn’t Ask For.

3:51 Nicole Christensen is an affiliate owner, Seminar Staff member, competitor and trainer. She described the various programs at CrossFit Roots, why they’re necessary and how she accepts feedback from her members. Christensen shared the history of her affiliate and gave advice to people faced with a critical start-up decision: go big right away or plan to grow over time? Christensen also addressed private coaching and when it’s appropriate for her athletes. Every affiliate has members who view CrossFit as a sport and other members who view it as a great way to improve fitness, and Christensen explained how she supports both groups. After touching on nutrition for her members, Christensen closed by describing how they promote and encourage great CrossFit culture and community at CrossFit Roots.

The Words of Wisdom are from a CrossFit Verve article in which Luke Palmisano explains the differences between an “Oly deadlift” and a “CrossFit deadlift.”

7:30 Rudy Tapalla came on the show to describe how he found CrossFit and how he started his affiliate, CrossFit Chicago. He explained some of the different programs at his box, including a women’s-only class. Tapalla integrates social media into his system and says it benefits his athletes, and he talked about the software programs he uses to run his business and track athletes’ results. In terms of programming, Tapalla shared all his secrets and explained why he provides a program with more volume in addition to regular WODs.

32:43 Josh Bridges placed second at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games but had to sit out the 2012 Open due to service with the U.S. Navy. He was invited to the Games but had to withdraw due to a serious knee injury. He spoke about his injury, his recovery and the mental battle to overcome a setback. He described how he’s been training and listed some recent PRs. Moving beyond the physical, the SoCal athlete explained how he mentally prepares for a tough WOD and deals with the rough parts of a workout once it starts. Finally, he gave his personal outlook on this year’s competitive season.

6:20 Susan Habbe won the 50-54 Division at this year’s CrossFit Games, defending a title won in the 45-50 Division a year earlier. She talked about the importance of finding a good coach and explained how mobility work is important for her as she ages. Habbe recently had shoulder surgery and spoke about her recovery, and she revealed a few of the weaknesses she’s been working on since the Games. She also described a few things she’d talk to Coach Greg Glassman about if she had the chance.

35.54 Gene LaMonica won the 45-49 Division at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. The athlete from Colorado spoke about his strengths and weaknesses and gave his opinion about the volume of workouts at the Games for masters and main-event individual competitors. He also detailed his training and preparations for the upcoming Games season, and he described his nutrition. LaMonica is OK with eating more carbohydrates during the off season but cuts back during competition. He explained how important it is to train smart and gave advice to younger athletes who want to compete at a high level for their entire lives.

The Words of Wisdom are from Coach Greg Glassman. In his CrossFit Journal article Virtuosity, CrossFit’s founder explained how mastery of fundamentals should be the focus of all CrossFit programming: “What will inevitably doom a physical training program and dilute a coach’s efficacy is a lack of commitment to fundamentals,” he wrote. The article, published Aug. 1, 2005, is one of the defining documents of the CrossFit method of training.

6:30 Holly Rose’s food addiction actually brought her to the edge of death. At 417 lb., she couldn’t sleep in a bed, wear shoes or pick up her children. She found CrossFit shortly after stomach surgery, and with the help of a good CrossFit coach and lots of hard work, she has lost almost 200 lb. She described her life as a food addict and when she knew she was ready for a change. Rose started exercising in the hospital after surgery, and she could only do 30 seconds at a time. Her progress was painful and slow, but she persevered. As she found CrossFit, she wondered how she would have the gall to walk into a gym in her state of health. Rose described how the community and culture of CrossFit were instrumental in helping her stick with her training, and now she’s healthier than ever. The fact that she can play with her kids, walk them to school and pick up 40-lb. sacks of dog food is monumental considering what her life was like before.

The Words of Wisdom are from a CrossFit Verve article on post-WOD nutrition:

1. No fat intake after a workout.
2. Carbs. You need carbs.
3. Protein. You need protein.
4. Remember: you need to eat after a workout.

4:35 Jay White is a former pro MMA fighter who recently started CrossFit. He explained the similarities and differences between MMA and CrossFit training, and he described what it was like to train with Randy Couture for three years. White talked about how he found CrossFit and why he’s drawn to compete, and he said would like to compete at the highest level possible. He described how CrossFit culture and community are like nothing he has ever seen before, and he’s now signed up to attend a Level 1 Seminar so he can start coaching.

28:00 It’s always refreshing to find someone who’s main focus is chasing excellence. CrossFit Matters owner and head coach Jim Caskey understands that if he is an excellent coach and helps others attain fitness, everything else will fall in line. Caskey came on the show to explain some of his philosophies, including how he will never allow more than 12 people in a class. He described how he tries to improve as a coach and shared some of the best lessons he’s learned over the last three years. Caskey also talked about his nutrition program, “Nutrition Matters,” and why it’s been so popular with his members.

The Words of Wisdom are from Roy Baumeister, professor of psychology at Florida State University, and they were spoken in an interview with Dan Ariely: Why Willpower Doesn’t Work.

5:28 Dr. Brian Strump owns CrossFit Steele Creek in Charlotte, N.C. Strump also owns and runs a successful chiropractic office out of the same building. He came on the show to talk about how he blends the two and how doing so benefits both his members and his patients. Strump explained how he started CrossFitting with Andy and Spencer Hendel and how his passion drove him to open his own affiliate. Offering advice, Strump explained why he thinks it’s best to start small and grow over time. As for creating the right culture, CrossFit Steele Creek has 14 specific rules for the box, and Strump talked about why they are so important.

31:38 Scott Ries’ addiction to alcohol has cost him jobs and relationships, and he’s spent a large portion of his life in prison due to impaired driving. He explained how he found CrossFit shortly after serving three years in the pen, and he said his life has changed dramatically since. He’s been dry for 44 months, and when he feels the urge to drink he fights it back by hitting a WOD as hard as he can. Ries explained how he has always been a natural athlete and was hooked from his first CrossFit workout. He also talked about the importance of friends and why the culture of CrossFit has helped him find the right type of people to strengthen him. Finally, he told listeners how his fitness helped him compete in and win a Tough Mudder obstacle race and qualify for the world championships.

The Words of Wisdom are from Josh Bridges: Breaking the Mental Barrier.

7:16 Mikko Aronpaa recently competed in the Team U.S.A. vs. Team Europe competition and came on the show to talk about his experience. The Finn described the unique events and what it was like to compete with a team, but he said he feels like he still has unfinished individual business at the Games and won’t be going team anytime soon. Aronpaa described how CrossFit has grown in Finland over the past few years to the point where he’s recognized on the street as a CrossFit competitor. He also explained what he does outside CrossFit and why he tries to compete in as many events as possible to prepare him for the official CrossFit Games season.

26:15 When Steve Gifford started CrossFit, he weighed 340 lb. Sixteen months later, he’s below 210. He talked about why he wanted to start CrossFit, as well as his initial thoughts when he researched the program. Gifford explained how important the community is at his affiliate and how it provided the motivation for him to keep pushing. He spoke about being humbled on a daily basis and how he fought off discouragement, and he described how important nutrition was in helping him lose weight. Finally, he talked about being forced to CrossFit at a Globo Gym, then being a part of a brand new affiliate.

The Words of Wisdom are from CrossFit Verve’s website, where an essay explains why CrossFitters should eat different forms of animal protein for breakfast every day.

4:05 Tami Martin is from Beaverton, Ore., and started CrossFitting about 18 months ago. The self-proclaimed couch potato described why she chose CrossFit after researching it for a long time, and she explained how her life has changed since she starting. Some time ago, Martin decided to enter her first CrossFit competition. She described her biggest takeaway from the competition and why it was such a growing experience for her. Martin also gave advice to other women who are on the journey to fitness.

32:08 2008 CrossFit Games Champion Jason Khalipa recently competed in the Team U.S.A. vs. Team Europe event in London, and he talked about why the competition was so exciting. He liked the team aspect so much that if he could have the same teammates for the CrossFit Games season, he said he would go team rather than individual. Khalipa is an extremely busy affiliate owner and member of the Level 1 Seminar Staff, and he spoke about balancing all his roles with training as an athlete. He described his current training and gave advice to other CrossFitters who want to compete at a high level. On the affiliate front, Khalipa talked about how his group of boxes is doing a fundraiser to raise money for people in Kenya.

The Words of Wisdom are from an Oct. 15 Los Angeles Times article titled Lack of sleep can seriously affect metabolism, study finds, by Jon Bardin.

4:08 Marnel King won the 55-59 Division at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games, and she came on the show to share her experience at the Games. King had recovered from shoulder surgery the year before, and she described the commitment it took to recover and then compete at that level. She talked about her varied athletic and competition background and detailed why CrossFit is her sport of choice. King shared a little about her training since the Games and described how she balances her workouts, career and other facets of life.

32:42 Nick Hobby is a high-school P.E. teacher who incorporates CrossFit into his classes. Hobby and his students were recently featured in a CrossFit Journal video, and he came on the show to share more details. Hobby explained how he started doing WODs after school and how students wanted to do them with him. He said he’s now turning students into athletes even if they don’t compete in traditional sports. Hobby also co-owns CrossFit Excel, and he spoke about how his P.E. classes compare to the classes at his box.

The Words of Wisdom are from Josh Bunch at Practice CrossFit: How to Get Over 100 PRs in a Week. To help readers hit PRs, Bunch offers great advice including doing auxiliary and mobility work, using percentages, lifting heavy once a week in a group and being relentless.

5:53 Jen Osborn is the head trainer at CrossFit Cornerstone in West Chester, Ohio. She explained how she found CrossFit and why she was addicted right away. She talked about the demands of the job but also why she wouldn’t trade it for anything. She described the mission statement at the box and why it’s an important guide for the athletes. Osborn talked about overcoming occasional frustrations as a head trainer, and she detailed how she connects with women who are initially intimidated by the look of a CrossFit gym. She also described the affiliate’s foundations class and how it has evolved.

29:02 Rebecca Voigt came on the show to talk about the Team U.S.A. vs. Team Europe competition in London. The event will be streamed live on the CrossFit Games website starting at 12 p.m. PDT on Oct. 13. Voigt talked about the members of Team U.S.A. and how they’ve been training over the past four weeks, and she described how honored she was when Dave Castro asked her to participate. This year, Voigt has a new coach, Ben Bergeron, and she described the gains and improvements she’s made with him. The SoCal athlete also changed career paths and is now working full-time as a coach and trainer, which offers an interesting set of challenges when it comes to her own training.

The Words of Wisdom are from CrossFit Verve’s blog, where an article gives recommendations for recovery after a tough workout. The writer stresses the importance of recovery and challenges readers to use active-recovery days and take precautions against mental and physical fatigue.

4:29 Austin Stack owns CrossFit The Den in Medford, Ore. He relayed his story and how his college-footfall career prepared him for CrossFit competition. He described his experience at the CrossFit Games this past summer and why he walked away feeling like he has some unfinished business in Carson. Just last week, Stack was hired onto the CrossFit Seminar Staff, and he described his road to earn the coveted position. He talked about the internship he had to complete, as well as the recent Trainer’s Summit in San Diego, Calif.

35:31 810 CrossFit owner and Seminar Staff trainer Joe DeGain came on the show to talk about the recent Trainer’s Summit that saw over 100 of the world’s best CrossFit trainers gather together in San Diego. He explained the purpose behind the summit and why it’s so important. He relayed Coach Greg Glassman’s message to the trainers and described why the entire event was so motivational. The former wrestler also detailed some of the things he’s learned from his travels as a CrossFit trainer and how he’s incorporated them into his own coaching and his affiliate.

The Words of Wisdom are from an article by Lisbeth Darsh: Snatching: The Answer to Everything in Life.

5:57 Dusty Hyland is one of the owners of DogTown CrossFit in Culver City, Calif., and he came on the show to talk about why CrossFitters need high-level gymnastics skills. Hyland described his gymnastics background and how he found CrossFit, and he talked about training Games athletes Valerie Voboril, Lindsey Valenzuela and Ruth Anderson Horrell. He described why having a solid gymnastics foundation is important for being able to learn and develop as a CrossFit athlete. Hyland lost a brother-in-law to cancer, and his business partner survived the disease, so DogTown CrossFit puts on a Crush Cancer fundraiser every year. Hyland described the upcoming event and relayed how people can get involved no matter where they live. Finally, he talked about helping Jeff Tucker with the CrossFit Gymnastics Trainer Course and described their book that will be published soon.

The Words of Wisdom are from an article titled Revisiting Hand Care, found on CrossFit Dallas Central’s site. The author gives advice on caring for ripped hands, preventing rips and maintaining healthy hands.

4:00 Valerie Voboril is no stranger to CrossFit competition: she placed third at the 2010 CrossFit Games, took 2011 off to have a baby and placed fifth at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. Voboril spoke about the competition this year and talked about returning to training after having a baby. The SoCal athlete described how her training will differ this year and what weaknesses she’ll address, and she explained how she works mobility into her pre-WOD preparation. Finally, she described an upcoming event her affiliate is promoting to raise money for cancer research.

29:52 CrossFit Inferno owner and CrossFit Media personality Bill Grundler came on the show to give a report on the CrossFit Tour event that just took place in Big Sky, Mont. Grundler gave a rundown on some of the activities that made the event a success, and he described three things he learned that he will use to make his affiliate more successful. Sharing his own secrets, Grundler detailed how he uses social media to enhance his athletes’ experience, and he described how smart affiliate owners are using Facebook to connect their members and fire them up. Grundler spoke about CrossFit the sport vs. CrossFit the GPP program and how box owners need to maintain a balance for both types of athletes. He also gave his opinion on the value of open gym time and why he only offers it to his members once a week.

The Words of Wisdom are from an article titled “Ten Tips for Success for the CrossFit Newbie” by Larry Palazzolo, found on the CrossFit Delaware Valley website. Even though Palazzolo’s advice is great for new CrossFitters, his tips are equally beneficial to CrossFit veterans.

10:32 Sean Clancy has competed in adventure races all around the world since 1997, and he explained how he found adventure racing and why it’s his sport of choice. Clancy described the different demands of the sport and detailed how some of his team members CrossFit in order to prepare them physically and mentally for the challenges they encounter. He talked about how he trained for adventure racing before finding CrossFit and gave advice to any CrossFit athlete thinking of trying the outdoor sport.

33:20 Cherie Chan and her husband Matt own CrossFit Verve in Denver, Colo., and they’re both on the Level 1 Seminar Staff. Cherie explained how she found CrossFit and why she was hooked after doing 120 pull-ups and 120 dips (substituted for 30 muscle-ups) for her first workout. Cherie talked about how she met Matt and why fitness has always been an important component of their lives, and she described an upcoming Airstream adventure. They plan to sell their home and have business partners handle the day-to-day business at CrossFit Verve while they travel the country with their portable Rogue gym, living in a trailer and taking advantage of outdoor activities such as mountain biking and climbing.

The Words of Wisdom are from an article titled Training for Fat Loss by Calvin Sun, found on the CrossFit Invictus website. In the article, Sun addresses common misconceptions such as “Weights will make me bulky,” “Marathon runners are skinny so shouldn’t I run to become skinny?” and so on.

7:55 James Hobson of CrossFit Addiction started the Atlanta Affiliate League two years ago with 16 teams competing in various events. The league exploded, and he frequently has to turn teams away. Hobson came on the show to talk about how the league has grown, why the idea has taken off, and how he’s overcome various growing pains. Hobson shared some of the lessons he’s learned from the experience and also ideas he’s borrowed from CrossFit HQ after watching the Regionals. Finally, Hobson talked about what’s next for the Atlanta Affiliate League.

35:18 Brad Woodhouse and partner Andrew Berridge of WOD Tours arrange different trips CrossFitters can go on to visit affiliates, train with well-known CrossFit coaches and competitors, and participate in lectures given by some of CrossFit’s subject-matter experts. Woodhouse came on the show and explained how they thought up the idea, and he described their most popular tour where they start in San Francisco with Kelly Starrett and Carl Paoli, then end up in Southern California with Mike Burgener. Woodhouse described some of the other tours they’ve done and plan on doing in the future, and he detailed some of the feedback he’s received from participants.

1:40 Tommy Hackenbruck is the only person to stand on the podium at the CrossFit Games as both an individual and a team member. He came on the show to talk about how Ute CrossFit won the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games team competition. He described what it was like to take first in the winner-take-all final workout. As a business owner, Hackenbruck described how smart affiliate owners should handle the situation when a new affiliate opens close to their own. Along those lines, the former college linebacker talked about how collaborating with other coaches has been a part of his success.

40:45 Erin Cafaro is coming off an impressive gold-medal performance at the 2012 London Olympics in women’s eights rowing. She talked about what it was like to win another gold medal at the Olympics and explained how CrossFit has helped her prepare during the last four years. Cafaro described what it’s like to work with experts such as Kelly Starrett and Brian MacKenzie and how they help her even though they aren't “rowing coaches.” She also talked about what might be next for her and how attempting to qualify for the CrossFit Games could be on the agenda.

1hr 16min 14sec

This week’s Words of Wisdom are Understanding Ego Depletion from Dan Ariely’s blog. To combat stress, he advises the following:

1. Acknowledge the tension; don’t ignore it.
2. Call it what it is: “ego depletion.”
3. Understand ego depletion.
4. Include and consider the moral implications.
5. Evade ego depletion.
6. Know thyself.

7:10 Jeremy Jones came on the show to talk about Diablo CrossFit’s experience at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. The team placed third, and Jones talked about how satisfying it was to be on the podium after missing the final day last year by one point. He described what it was like to be in the stadium for the final Girls workout, and he introduced Diablo’s team members. Jones talked about the community at the box and the depth of the competitive athletes at Diablo. He detailed how he programs his workouts and shared what seven years of planning WODs has taught him. He explained what he looks for in recorded workout results to help him program future WODs, and he described his competitor’s class and the box’s Firebreather workouts. Turning to romance, Jones explained why a trainer has to pay for an athlete’s yearly membership if the two start dating.

The Words of Wisdom are The Three Rules of Goal Setting, by Greg Amundson, from the Goal Setting Trainer Course.

4:44 SPC CrossFit was in second place before the Leaderboard was wiped clean in preparation for the final day of team competition at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. After the final Girls workout, the group was still in second place and secured a spot on the podium. Coach and team member Brent Sepi explained how the squad prepared for the Games and what it was like to compete at the Home Depot Center. Sepi detailed the history of SPC CrossFit and why it’s commonly referred to as “The Barn.” He discussed the different certificate seminars that are coming up at the affiliate and why it’s important to host those courses. Finally, Sepi gave coaching advice on how to handle different athletes and how to foster the right kind of community at your affiliate.

25:16 Fan favorite Annie Thorisdottir was crowned CrossFit Games champion for the second year in a row in July. She talked about her experience this year and described what she was feeling when Dave Castro announced that the competition would begin with a surprise swim-bike-run event. Thorisdottir detailed what she told herself after the Broad Jump event, when she was lower on the Leaderboard than she wanted to be. She explained what she does to deal with the pressure and why Despicable Me is her favorite movie, so much so that she watched it between events at the Games. She also talked about her life outside CrossFit and the likelihood that she will return to school and finish her degree. Thorisdottir closed by talking about her affiliate, CrossFit Reykjavik, and how it handles its 800 members on a day-to-day basis.

5:54 In July, Rich Froning Jr. won the CrossFit Games for the second year in a row. He came on the show to talk about his victory and what it meant to him to stand atop the podium for the second time. He talked about the competition and why it was important for him to leave no doubt about who is the fittest in the world. Not content to sit back and relax, Froning described why he’s hungrier than ever to win the 2013 Reebok CrossFit Games. The champ also explained what he did to celebrate his win and how soon he jumped back into training. A man of faith, Froning talked about his religious inspiration and quoted and explained his favorite scriptures. Finally, Froning gave an update on his affiliate, CrossFit Mayhem, and when he will have it up and running again.

This week’s words of wisdom are from Recco at CPM Fitness. Recco points out common characteristics of the mental game of elite athletes and how you can adopt those thinking patterns.

5:55 Tim Anderson is the fittest man between 55 and 59 after winning his division at the CrossFit Games. Anderson talked about the competition and explained how the programming was perfect for masters athletes. He shared why he competes and how CrossFit motivated him to change his lifestyle. Anderson is also one of the owners at South Tahoe CrossFit, and he described the community, culture and charitable events at his box.

34:51 Sam Brustein has been a SWAT officer for the past 12 years. He started CrossFitting in 2008 in his basement. He described how he used to stay in shape before and how his fitness level has improved after four years of CrossFit. Brustein talked about what a difference CrossFit has made in his career and speculated as to why more SWAT officers don’t CrossFit. Brustein is also an inventor of sorts and has patents including a five-height plyo box. He talked about how the idea originated and how he put it into production.

4:47 Kyle Kasperbauer didn’t start training hard until about seven months before the Games, but in those seven months he obviously worked hard enough to place third overall. Kasperbauer talked about what it meant to him to be able to stand on the podium, and he described his favorite and least favorite events. He described how he found CrossFit, and he talked about his training leading up to the competition. He said it’s important to have good coaches and training partners. Looking ahead, he explained what he’ll change this upcoming year.

31:10 Talayna Fortunato works out at CrossFit Real Fitness in Naples, Fla. She placed third at the Games and explained that she didn’t want to use this year as a “practice year.” She described why she was confident leading into the competition and how she prepared, and she shared her thoughts on the final three events, where she battled Kristan Clever for third overall. Fortunato explained why she chose to get a coach outside her affiliate and said doing so allowed her to improve by having someone else program for her.

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit Verve in Denver, Colo.

Start by taking 10 percent off your 1RM back squat, then add 10 lb.

Back squat
75 percent x 5 reps
85 percent x 3 reps
95 percent x 1 rep

Then complete 15, 12 and 9 reps for time of:
Double kettlebell swings (24/16 kg each hand)
Thrusters (24/16 kg each hand)

4:30 Julie Foucher placed second at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. She explained how she’s been able to improve her fitness while in medical school, and she talked about why she was confident heading into the Games this year. Foucher placed fifth at the last two CrossFit Games, and she explained how she made the jump to second in 2012. Finally, she gave her thoughts on the entire CrossFit Games season including the Open and Regionals.

27:47 Matt Chan also placed second at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. He described what it meant to him to stand on the podium after missing it for so long. He talked about his favorite events and the one that hurt the most, and he explained the strategies he used for some of the workouts. Chan explained what he did to recover during the four days of competition and said having a coach has changed everything for him. Moving on to his affiliate, CrossFit Verve, Chan explained how he programs strength for regular clients and people who want to compete, and he described how that programming differs.

16:36 Brandon Swan, Jeremy Kinnick, Marcus Hendren, Annie Thorisdottir, Gretchen Kittleberger and Jason Hoggan were all interviewed after the surprise announcement that the Individual competition would start on Wednesday instead of Friday. The shocked athletes gave their thoughts on how they would attack Pendleton 1 and Pendleton 2.

3:00 Rudy Nielsen of Outlaw CrossFit coaches several 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games athletes. He came on the show to talk about why he has so many athletes following his programming, and he explained his training philosophies and beliefs, which he calls “the Outlaw Way.” Nielsen said he frequently experiments with his athletes and different training protocols, and he described why he programs in waves and how he breaks them down according to lifts and movements. The head Outlaw also explained how his remote coaching works and why that method is sometimes better for him.

37:52 Doug Chapman owns CrossFit Ann Arbor/Hyperfit USA. He coaches several athletes who will compete July 13-15 at the Reebok CrossFit Games, including Julie Foucher. Chapman, a longtime affiliate owner and CrossFit Seminar Staff trainer, judged at several Regional events and talked about why it’s important for him to give back to the community as the sport evolves. Chapman also explained about how he programs, and he gave his thoughts on the CrossFit Games and how they find the world’s fittest athletes.

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps for time of:
Deadlifts at 1.5 x body weight
Handstand push-ups
Kettlebell swings (72/44 lb.)

2:41 Brian Marcoullier has lost 55 lb. in the last year. He came on the show to talk about how he’s changed his life. He described how losing his balance and falling down a short set of stairs showed him just how far out of shape he really was. He explained how he found CrossFit and what his first intro class was like, and he detailed why he’s stepping up from three classes a week to five. Marcoullier said his diet changed as well and had a huge impact on his health and fitness.

27:07 Eric Bartlett is 45 years old and routinely beats all the young guys in his affiliate. He placed 10th in the world in the Open and is headed to the Home Depot Center to compete in the 45-49 Masters Division. He described why he does CrossFit and why he wants to compete. Bartlett shared his training plan and explained why he doesn’t “really suck at anything.” Finally, he gave his outlook for the Masters competition.

AMRAP in 5 minutes of:
15 thrusters (75/55 lb.)
15 dips
Rest 3 minutes, then AMRAP in 5 minutes of:
5 roll-outs (same bar as thrusters)
10 lateral burpees

5:41 Michele Vieux of CrossFit Invictus has been featured in several recent cooking videos in the CrossFit Journal. Her recipes feature Paleo foods produced in simple and delicious ways, and she came on the show to talk about her easy methods for eating healthy. She gave advice on items that should always be in your pantry and described simple ways to to make Paleo-friendly condiments and sauces. Vieux has also created a cookbook that will be available soon.

33:12 Three months ago, Jason Ackerman started a Survivor-like competition to find his next coach at Albany CrossFit. At the time, he appeared on CrossFit Radio Episode 217 and talked about the competition. On this episode, he explained how the search has progressed. The field has been narrowed to three finalists, and Ackerman described some of the challenges the coaches have had to overcome along the way. Albany CrossFit is also first on the CrossFit for Hope leaderboard. Ackerman described how his affiliate has raised so much money and what it’s done for his community.

Every minute on the minute for 14 minutes:

Odd minutes: 10 shoulders-to-overheads (135/95 lb.)
Even minutes: 10 kettlebell swings (2/1.5 pood)
If you need to take a minute off, do so and complete 5 bar-facing burpees for every missed round at the end of the 14 minutes.

2:30 Jason Graves has lost over 100 lb. since starting CrossFit a little over six months ago. He came on the show to tell his story and explain how finding CrossFit has changed his life. He described what his nutrition was like before CrossFit and how some people don’t recognize him now. Graves talked about his first workout at CrossFit Bolt and why he knew it was exactly what he was looking for. He said the community at his box was very important to his success.

32:36 Jimi Letchford from CrossFit has been working hard to make CrossFit for Hope successful. He talked about how the idea originated with Coach Greg Glassman and how CrossFit’s founder and CEO knew great things would happen once the CrossFit community got behind a worthy cause. Letchford described what CrossFit for Hope is and how people can still raise money. The money raised before June 24 will go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital hospital directly, and then the website will reset and the CrossFit Community will have an entire year to raise more money for a good cause. Letchford talked about visiting the hospital and how powerful it was to meet some of the patients.

Overhead squat 2-2-2-2-2-2
Then as many rounds as possible in 18 minutes of:
5 handstand push-ups
5 toes-to-bars
5 kettlebell swings
200-meter run

5:05 Artie Kreutzer is one of the partners in CrossFit 201 in New Jersey. He came on the show to talk about a relatively new stretching and mobility technique called Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST). Kreutzer explained that fascia is the connective tissue surrounding our muscles and joints and that FST can really help improve mobility and performance. He explained how CrossFitters would benefit from FST and how they can find a certified therapist. He also described how this technique would work hand in hand with the mobility work Kelly Starrett promotes.

30:47 Joe Westerlin is a member of CrossFit’s Seminar Staff. He explained what it’s like to travel around the country and help people at the certificate courses. Westerlin is also a co-owner of CrossFit Omaha and described why the box doesn’t have drop-in or check-it-out times. He explained how they give people a free session and then spend time talking with them and answering their questions. Westerlin detailed how they start people with introductory classes that include a nutrition lecture, and he described how they stress the classic CrossFit prescription of mechanics and consistency before introducing intensity.

Complete as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:

25 med-ball cleans into a wall-ball shot (20-lb. ball)
20 alternating one-arm dumbbell snatches (45-lb. dumbbell)
15 ring dips

3:51 Zach Smith is one of the owners and team members of CrossFit Intensify’s competitive team, which just won the North West Regional and qualified to compete at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. Smith gave a short recap of the competition and how his team was tied with CrossFit Fort Vancouver going into the final event. Smith described what the team has done to be stronger as a unit and build better communication, and he gave advice for affiliate owners who want to create a competitive team. Smith also explained how important it is to keep CrossFit the fitness program the priority over CrossFit the sport in their affiliate.

27:01 Elisabeth Akinwale recently won the North Central Regional and is confident heading into the Reebok CrossFit Games. She talked about her regional competition and how it felt to emerge victorious from such a competitive group of women. She described how her training has evolved compared to last year and why she’s better now. Akinwale described how she found CrossFit, and she explained how she balances motherhood, a career and CrossFit training.

57min 28sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit 808 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Complete as many rounds as possible in eight minutes of:
10 hand-release push-ups
30 double-unders
Then, for time:
50 toes-to-bars

4:19 Cheryl Brost came on the show to talk about the North West Regional competition. She spoke about her decision to only do parts of the different workouts in training, and she described how her strengths and weaknesses align with the workouts she’ll face. Brost talked about attending the South West Regional and shared the lessons she learned that will help her in her own competition. Brost also described what it’s like to be a competitive CrossFitter with two busy and active children. She explained what their nutrition looks like and how the whole family CrossFits together. Finally, she gave advice to parents of CrossFit kids.

28:41 Gabe Subry placed third in the very competitive Northern California Regional, and he’s qualified to make a return trip to the Home Depot Center. After taking 21st in the first workout, his chances of competing this summer looked bleak. Subry talked about the hole he dug with his Diane time and how he had to come back. He also talked about his mental preparation and how it paid off given the challenging circumstances. Subry explained what CrossFit means to him and how it has changed his life, and he detailed the things that have helped him be most successful as owner of CrossFit 209 Sport.

58min 39sec

21 toes-to-bars
165-lb. back squat, 15 reps
9 wall climbs
165-lb. back squat, 15 reps
21 toes-to-bars

6:32 Heather Welsh placed third at the Central East Regional and punched her first ticket to the Reebok CrossFit Games. She came on the show and spoke about what it feels like to accomplish her goal. She described her athletic background and how she found CrossFit, and she said it was very helpful to train with 2010 Games champ Graham Holmberg day in and day out. She explained how she’ll prepare for the Games and gave advice to other women who have a goal of qualifying.

31:28 Chase Daniels placed first at the South East Regional, and he shared his opinion of the programming for the Open and the Regionals. He described his biggest takeaways from the Regional competition and explained what adjustments he’ll make to his training leading up to the Games. He talked about competing at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games and how he’s changed and grown as an athlete since then.

50min 35sec

12:15 Patrick O’Connell described his competitive experience and how he thinks it will help him at the Central East Regional. He’s participated in extreme sports in the past, and he spoke about using his fitness to build two log homes by hand.

17:15 Shawn Stauffer explained why he is not a fan of Diane. He talked about his goal for the weekend of competition and described his programming and strongman background. He also detailed how CrossFit helps prepare him for the demands of his job as a firefighter.

31:30 Gerald Sasser talked about his first CrossFit workout and why he thought he was fit until that day. He described what life has been like since he opened his affiliate two weeks ago.

37:30 Nick Fory explained why he chose to do all the Regional workouts ahead of time. He talked about his favorite workouts and how he loves the community aspect of CrossFit. He also mentioned that he recently hit a new PR on his snatch, which might help in Event 5 on Day 3 of the Regional.

46:10 Joseph Weigel also expressed reservations about doing Diane at the beginning of the competition. He talked about how he found CrossFit and what he will focus on most this upcoming weekend.

54:00 Travis Page detailed which workout he’s most looking forward to. He explained why the Olympic-lifting aspect of CrossFit really hooked him, and he talked about how training with Scott Panchik for the last month has helped him step up his game.

1hr 3min 7sec

7-minute AMRAP of:
7 chest-to-bar pull-ups
7 box jumps
Rest 7 minutes
7-minute AMRAP of:
7 med-ball push-ups
7 wall-ball shots

05:19 Ingrid Kantola was featured on the show a little over two years ago just after she won the Southern California Sectional. She came on this week’s show to update listeners on the last two years of her life. Incredibly, she has had open-heart surgery, and she explained how she had to be patient and smart with her recovery. She’s moved to Austin, Texas, to start a master’s program and talked about what it’s like to train with the women from CrossFit Central. Kantola gave her impressions of the South Central Regional, in which she finished fifth overall.

28:16 Bryan Diaz secured his chance to compete with the world’s fittest at the Home Depot Center by winning the South Central Regional on April 29. He spoke about his training and described how things have improved since he started working with his coach, Brian MacKenzie. Diaz gave his opinion on why so many well-known competitors are turning to coaches and explained what the next two months of training will look like leading into the Games.

54min 46sec

Four sets of:
Turkish get-up, 2 reps
Rest 60 seconds
Kettlebell swings, 25 reps
Rest 60 seconds

Then three rounds for time of:
275-lb. deadlifts, 10 reps
20 hand-release push-ups
30 double-unders

4:10 Nikki McGowan was a sprinter in high school and college and had high aspirations before injuries forced her down another path. She filled her competitive void with CrossFit and noticed significant gains in her performance when she combined the sport of fitness with yoga. McGowan has also found tremendous success training her CrossFit athletes in yoga, and she explained how flexibility is often neglected by CrossFitters who could benefit from yoga’s stretches and breathing techniques.

39:23 Brent Bearup has owned a gym for several years in Boise, Idaho. A friend told him he should turn his gym into a CrossFit affiliate, and he attended a Level 1 Trainer Course with very limited exposure to CrossFit. Bearup’s first official CrossFit workout was Fran, which they did on the first day of the seminar. Bearup gave his impressions of the seminar and of CrossFit’s philosophies, and he said he took to the community atmosphere right away. Finally, he explained his plans for his gym and his athletes.

58min 43sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is the first event of the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games Regionals.

Diane
21-15-9 reps of:
Deadlifts (225/155 lb.)
Handstand push-ups

5:15 Kevin Penner owns CrossFit by Bodyfit. He came on the show to talk about a unique opportunity: he and his staff have been hired to teach P.E. to the students of San Jacinto Valley Academy. Penner said he’s contracted to teach them CrossFit only, and he described how he was able to make this happen. Penner explained how the school got on board and invested several thousand dollars in equipment, and he talked about how he deals with class sizes of 100 students. Penner said the results on the state test have proven that his students increased their fitness dramatically.

31:20 HQ trainer E.C. Synkowski spoke with Justin about her athletic background and how she found CrossFit. She explained how she became a staff trainer and what it was like to attend seminars given by CrossFit founder and CEO Greg Glassman. Synkowski said it would benefit a CrossFitter to attend several Level 1 seminars, and she highlighted some of the benefits of attending the Coaches Prep Course as well. A veteran judge with experience at both the CrossFit Games and Regionals, Synkowski shared what it’s like to judge great movers and how she’s right next to the action but rarely sees the overall competition results until it’s all over.

52min 30sec

For time:
30 toes-to-bars
95-lb. front squat, 30 reps
30 box jumps
95-lb. power snatch, 30 reps
30 burpees
95-lb. sumo deadlift high-pull, 30 reps

5:22 Trebor Marple of CrossFit Valdosta competed in this year’s Reebok CrossFit Games Open. Eight years ago, when Marple was hit by a truck and suffered a partially severed spinal cord, competing in any capacity seemed like an impossible dream. Marple told his story and how the challenging experience actually benefited him even after doctors told him he would never walk again. Marple also explained how he found CrossFit and what it was like to open an affiliate.

27:44 Nick Urankar of CrossFit 061 competed in last summer’s Reebok CrossFit Games. He described the experience and why he’s so motivated to make a return appearance. Urankar opened his affiliate less than a month ago, and he explained how he worked to be successful right from the start. In this year’s Open, Urankar finished third in the tough Central East Region, which means he’ll be going up against Rich Froning Jr. and Dan Bailey at the regional competition, but Urankar is a competitor and says he wouldn’t have it any other way.

57min

Back squat, 20 reps (Note: this will be a single-set test. The recommendation is to use approximately 70 percent of 1RM. Do not rush. The set should be paced, and rest between reps is beneficial.)
Then 3 rounds, each for time, of:
95-lb. push press, 20 reps
20 hand-release push-ups
20 pull-ups
Rest 2 minutes

3:50 Nick Massie is a gourmet chef who specializes in Paleo recipes. He expanded on his comments in CrossFit Radio Episode 217 and described the latest cooking videos he’s produced for his new website. He also discussed Gary Taubes’ Why We Get Fat and detailed what he eats on a daily basis. Finally, Massie gave advice to help average CrossFitters eat like a gourmet chef.

27:00 Travis Bagent is one of the greatest arm wrestlers in the world, and he’s also the owner of CrossFit 304 and an announcer for the Reebok CrossFit Games. Bagent came on the show to talk about his new affiliate, which has taken over a building that used to be a Globo Gym. Bagent described the facilities, including locker rooms, a track and the crown jewel: a swimming pool. He explained how he found CrossFit and how it led to him to the mic at the Games. According to Bagent, being a Games announcer gives him the best seat in the house. Bagent also described his background as a world-champion arm wrestler.

51min 55sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit Complete in Midwest City, Okla.

For time:
100 double-unders
15 handstand push-ups
30 reverse burpees
50 kettlebell sumo deadlift high pulls
30 walking lunges (plate overhead)
Run 800 meters

3:00 Nick Massie is a professional chef who’s making it his mission to educate CrossFitters on the finer points of cooking so they can dial in their nutrition without giving up delicious food. Massie explained his most recent project: creating a website so CrossFitters can learn to cook and feel more comfortable in the kitchen. He described different features the website will possess and outlined some challenges he wants to conduct online. Massie explained how the recent influence of Gary Taubes shaped his philosophies.

29:40 Jason Ackerman owns CrossFit Clifton Park and Albany CrossFit. He’s looking to hire a new coach, so he devised an innovative process to choose the perfect candidate. Borrowing an idea from reality programming, he created a TV-style competition that will include challenges and immunities, along with input from the community. In case you don’t have the ability to recreate Survivor, Ackerman gave advice on choosing a good coach and how to become a better coach. Finally, he talked about a Garage Games Competition in the near future.

57min 40sec

Max reps of pull-ups in 4 minutes
Rest 1 minute
Max reps of handstand push-ups in 3 minutes
Rest 1 minute
Max reps of push-ups in 2 minutes
Rest 1 minute
Max reps of double-unders in 1 minute

3:25 Mel Metten owns CrossFit Bangor, and she has a problem: her box has only been open for nine months, but her affiliate is exploding. She explained how rapid growth is a good problem to have, but she’s now faced with finding a larger space and acquiring more equipment. Metten talked about how she wants to expand the business but actually has to hold people off from starting until her new space is running. Metten also explained what her affiliate is doing for the Reebok CrossFit Games Open and how much fun it’s been for new CrossFitters to see where they stack up against the rest of the world.

24:40 Tanya Wagner won the 2009 CrossFit Games as an individual. In 2010, Wagner competed on the CrossFit Apex team. She came on the show to talk about coming back to competition after having a baby boy and how she feels she has to make up ground she lost over the last two years. Wagner explained why she’s competing as an individual again and described how the Open is going for her so far.

58min 56sec

For time:
Run 400 meters
115-lb. thruster, 15 reps
Run 400 meters
115-lb. thruster, 12 reps
Run 400 meters
115-lb. thruster, 9 reps

4:10 CrossFit Catalyst owner Chris Cooper has written articles for the CrossFit Journal about how people with multiple sclerosis have been using CrossFit to help rewire the body. Cooper’s research has led him into the field of athletes with brain damage, and he talked about some of his findings and a few of the athletes he’s currently helping. The affiliate owner has even written a book on the subject. He explained how CrossFit Catalyst is also helping in several local schools and gave advice for gym owners looking to partner with educational institutions.

Cooper described some of the mistakes he’s made as an affiliate owner and how they actually turned out to be positives in the long run. Additionally, he talked about the pros and cons of having an MMA group in the same building as his affiliate, and he explained a few of his programs that have proven to be beneficial for his members, such as Ignite Academy and The Conqueror Series. Of particular note to affiliate owners, Cooper shared some of the best practices he has developed over the years.

46min 33sec

5:35 John Mc Evoy is originally from Ireland and now resides in Massachusetts, where he’s one of the owners of CrossFit Craic. Mc Evoy came on the show to talk about a unique approach his affiliate takes for its nutrition challenges. Rather than mess with complicated systems, he’s simplified things into a “No Bread” challenge. He talked about how simple it is for new members to catch on and described some of the success stories, including Tony No Bread, who has lost over 40 lb. and champions the cause to everyone he meets. Mc Evoy also spoke about what his affiliate is doing for the Open workouts.

24:00 Scott Panchik tied for first in Open Workout 12.1, scoring 161 burpees in 7 minutes. He came on the show and gave listeners a chance to meet the man behind the monster number. Panchik explained how he prepared for the Open competition and what his reaction was when he saw that the first workout was very much in his wheelhouse. He also gave his outlook for the rest of the competition.

33:10 Emma Teede owns CrossFit Foxes in Darra, Australia. Her affiliate is the first women-only CrossFit box in Australia. She talked about why she decided to open such an affiliate and described some of the resistance she encountered from other affiliate owners. Teede told of several women who have experienced incredible life changes since starting CrossFit, and she described the culture and community in her gym. Teede was able to attend the CrossFit Tour stop in Gold Coast, Australia, and described what it was like visit with Coach Greg Glassman. Finally, she talked about how she established several valuable contacts while attending the event.

55min

Complete as many reps as possible in 7 minutes of:
Burpees

4:25 Diane McKinney started CrossFitting after 10 years of inactivity. She is now in her 50s and in the best shape of her life. She’s seen amazing results and talked about how she reached her goals, and she gives a lot of credit to her biggest supporter, Ed. He was her trainer when she started CrossFit, and he helped her through her struggles, frustrations and tears. They’re now engaged. McKinney talked about how she found CrossFit, how the community took her in and made her feel accepted, and how CrossFit transformed her entire life. The masters athlete is now competing in Open with hopes of making it to the Reebok CrossFit Games this summer.

36:45 Adam Stevenson is one of the owners of Outlier CrossFit in San Diego. His affiliate team barely missed qualifying for the Games last year, and he talked about what changes they’ve made in their training and how motivated the entire team is. Stevenson explained how he helps prepare a team for the competition season and described how they incorporate mobility work into their programming. Talking about the Open, Stevenson gave predictions on movements he thinks will come up and pointed out some dark horses in the hotly contested Southern California region.

57min 15sec

Complete 10 rounds for time of:
315-lb. deadlifts, 3 reps
6 burpees
9 toes-to-bars

1:35 Nicole “Nikki” Goldin owns CrossFit 1525 in Houston, Texas. She has approximately 285 members and explained what she’s done to be so successful. Goldin talked about social media and using Facebook to build her community culture by uploading photo albums weekly. She described how she started CrossFit and how she has gained as much knowledge as possible through the CrossFit Journal and other people with more experience. As a successful affiliate owner, she gave advice to those who want to build a positive and connected culture at their own boxes. Finally, Nikki described what she plans on doing for the Reebok CrossFit Games Open and how she’s encouraged the average CrossFitters at her box to participate.

26:15 Jeff Tucker is CrossFit’s gymnastics expert, and the Texan has several big projects in the works. He described the space-saving “exercise sculpture” he has created to allow CrossFitters to do over 300 different exercises, and he also talked about putting the finishing touches on his book that will serve as a reference tool for CrossFitters looking to improve their gymnastics skills. Tucker went on to explain what his affiliate, GSX CrossFit, will be doing for the Open competition, then moved on to online coaching. As an in-demand coach, Tucker is experimenting with training athletes online, and he talked about the pros and cons he has seen in the short time he’s been doing it.

52min 24sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from Brickhouse CrossFit in Roanoke, Va.

5 rounds for time of:
135-lb. jerk, 8 reps
8 burpees with lateral jump over barbell
1.5-pood kettlebell snatch, 16 reps (8 each arm)

2:25 Justin Bergh is the Co-Director of the CrossFit Games. He came on the show to talk about the Reebok CrossFit Games Open registration and the upcoming competition season. Bergh explained how CrossFit HQ brought the Games website development in-house and how it helps to have programmers who are CrossFitters. It already looks like the number of entrants will exceed last year’s numbers, and Bergh explained why each one should read the CrossFit Games Competition Rulebook. He also described some of the prizes that will be given out during the Open. Finally, Justin talked about the behind-the-scenes details that ensure the Open, the Regionals and the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games come off without a hitch. One of the most important aspects is volunteers.

26:10 Chip Pugh is the head strength-and-conditioning coach at Tennessee Tech. He came on the show to talk about how he uses CrossFit to train all his athletes from various sports. He spoke about helping Rich Froning Jr. win the CrossFit Games last summer, and Pugh also gets to work with another top Games athlete now that Dan Bailey is on staff at Tennessee Tech. Pugh explained how his job at the university is different than his job as an affiliate coach and gave advice for CrossFitters on how to approach the upcoming competition season. He also described how things are going with his affiliate, CrossFit Faith.

55min 31sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit WV.

Five rounds for time of:
9 chest-to-bar pull-ups
12 pistols
95-lb. power snatch, 15 reps

2:45 George Ryan has developed a system of striking and self-protection that he teaches to law-enforcement officers around the country. In the CrossFit Striking Trainer Course, attendees are not only introduced to this system but also learn how to incorporate striking into their CrossFit programming. Ryan explained what people will learn at his seminars and how a CrossFitter would benefit by attending. He shared a little of his background and how he found CrossFit. As a law-enforcement officer, Ryan says he benefits daily from his CrossFit training, and he spoke about why it’s important for those who serve and protect to attain elite fitness.

29:50 Bob Weeks is a man on a mission: to raise awareness and money for the Wounded Warrior Project. In order to do that, he’s planning on running 444 miles across North Carolina in May. He spoke about why this means so much to him and why he wants so badly to help the cause. Weeks is an endurance athlete who has used running and CrossFit to overcome life’s trials. He spoke about running a marathon in each of the 50 states, plus Washington D.C., and described how he found CrossFit and why he loves the community so much. He ended by explaining what the Fix 4 the Day Tour is and how CrossFitters can get involved.

58min 38sec

The WOW (WOD of the Week) is from CrossFit 413 in Ft. Smith, Ark.

Start a 10-minute running clock.
15-12-9 reps of:
115-lb. thrusters
Chest-to-bar pull-ups
Complete as many burpees as possible in the time remaining. Your score will be total burpees performed.

4:00 Kasey Marble started CrossFitting by following CrossFit.com and doing the WODs in his high-school weight room before joining an affiliate. Marble described how CrossFit is now his sport and explained what it was like to compete in a CrossFit competition for the first time. His goals now include making it to the Reebok CrossFit Games Regionals as an individual or as part of a team, and he talked about how his training and diet will help him reach his goals.

18:05 Dr. Ken Gall is a professor of mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech. He came on the show to talk about being more effective in your workouts by keeping in mind the principles of power output and work capacity. Dr. Gall talked about science and how it applies to CrossFit. Take, for example, dropping a weight or lowering it down. Dr. Gall discussed which choice would lead to an increase in work capacity based on science, and he explained fascinating studies and mini-experiments he conducts during WODs. He also talked about different Games competitors and how size can either be an advantage or disadvantage depending on the exercise.

57min 43sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from Element CrossFit.

Squat, 5 reps
Then complete as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:
135-lb. power clean, 5 reps
5 burpees
135-lb. thruster, 5 reps
5 burpees

4:30 Jordan and Paula Gravatt own CrossFit by Overload. They also create media for CrossFit HQ, and Paula is CrossFit HQ’s Affiliate Manager. Because Paula’s plate isn’t full enough, she agreed to be the coordinator for the upcoming CrossFit Tour, which kicks off Feb. 3-5 in Gold Coast, Australia. Paula explained what the tour is and why CrossFitters should attend. Jordan related how they started their affiliate in their garage and grew into the space they now occupy, and he described the challenges they have overcome to find success.

29:50 Dan Bailey won the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games Open competition and went on to place sixth at the Games. He described what that experience was like for him and then talked about his 2012 training with past champions Mikko Salo and Graham Holmberg. Bailey talked about his programming and his strength training, as well as things he has learned from Salo. Interestingly, Bailey recently got a position as a graduate assistant strength-and-conditioning coach at Tennessee Tech and is now working out with yet another CrossFit Games champ: Rich Froning Jr.

50min 5sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit Recoil.

Row: 5 minutes for calories
Turkish get-up: 4 minutes for reps
Push-ups: 3 minutes for reps
Squats: 2 minutes for reps
Ball slams: 1 minute for reps
Post total points to comments.

1:55 Nicole Tanzillo, also known as “Paleo Betty,” is a self-described foodie at CrossFit Central. Her transition into a dedicated CrossFitter and Paleo pro was a difficult one because of her love for all the wrong kinds of food. She told the story of her transition and how she even gave up her cake-designing business because of her dedication to the Paleo lifestyle. She described her failed attempts at losing weight and keeping it off before trying CrossFit, as well as how her life has changed since starting CrossFit.

25:40 CrossFit Radio correspondent Emily Beers presented a segment with Corey Auger, who told his story of having a $100-a-day addiction to drugs. Auger explained how fitness, specifically CrossFit, has helped him to turn his life around, end the addictions and start living a healthy life.

36:45 Annie Sakamoto started CrossFitting with Coach Greg Glassman in Santa Cruz, Calif., in the early days of CrossFit. She explained what it was like to be trained by the founder of CrossFit and how the programming was so simple yet beautiful back then. Annie placed ninth at the 2011 Reebok Crossfit Games and described her competitive experience before talking about how she plans to stay sharp for the upcoming competition season.

1hr 1min 33sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from Wasatch CrossFit:

For time, 21-15-9 reps of:
115-lb. power cleans
Hand-release push-ups
Rest 2 minutes
15-12-9 reps of:
115-lb. power cleans
Hand-release push-ups
Rest 2 minutes
12-9-6 reps of
115-lb. power cleans
Hand-release push-ups

3:45 In addition to being a trainer at Practice CrossFit, Mindy Coby is an elementary teacher and girls basketball coach. She came on the show to talk about how women are influenced by society’s definition of health and beauty. She explained how her attitude and self-image changed once she started CrossFitting, and she described how rewarding it is for her to help the young women and clients she coaches understand how beneficial it is to have a proper outlook on health and fitness. She also talked about her athletic background and how she became a trainer at Practice CrossFit.

30:10 Greg Amundson is the original CrossFit Firebreather and has now become a subject-matter expert (SME) on goal-setting and motivation for CrossFitters. He came on the show to talk about how to set and accomplish difficult goals no matter how hard they are. Amundson described how he started giving the CrossFit Goal Setting Trainer Course and talked about what it’s like to present this curriculum around the world. He described the new job he has taken with CrossFit in addition to being an SME, and he said everything he has accomplished outside of CrossFit is because of CrossFit.

1hr 4min 2sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit.com.

Three rounds for time of:
35-lb. dumbbell squat snatch, 15 reps right arm
15 GHD sit-ups
35-lb. dumbbell squat snatch, 15 reps left arm
15 toes-to-bars

0:50 Justin read a post from Lisbeth Darsh titled “Holiday Advice You Didn’t Ask For.” He also reflected back on CrossFit Highlights of 2011 and played parts of interviews with Matt Chan, Rich Froning Jr., Leah Polaski and Amber Wilson.

20:40 Monique Ames is the owner of CrossFit Evolution. She came on the show to talk about lessons she has learned as a business owner and how she’ll approach the New Year with those lessons in mind. She gave advice to her fellow affiliate owners so they can start 2012 on the right foot. Sharing her knowledge, Ames explained why she doesn’t allow drop-ins at her box, as well as how she promotes the right kind of culture and integrates new clients into normal classes. Ames recently had Original Firebreather Greg Amundson do a goal-setting seminar at her box, and she shared what she took away from the seminar.

58min 58sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from Beaverton CrossFit.

Every minute on the minute for 15 minutes:

185-lb. power cleans, 2 reps
70-lb. kettlebell swings, 5 reps
Double-unders for the remainder of each minute
Score is total number of double-unders.

4:50 John Berardi of Precision Nutrition came on the show to talk about intermittent fasting (IF). He began by sharing his background in fitness and nutrition and explained that even though he is a specialist as a masters-level sprinter, he uses CrossFit to supplement his training. IF is a hot topic, and Berardi explained exactly what it is and how it could potentially benefit a CrossFitter. He also detailed his six-month experiment with IF and shared his results. For more info, read Berardi’s article My Experiments With Intermittent Fasting.

33:50 In addition to managing a household and being a mother of two, Meghan Russell owns and runs CrossFit JAX while her husband is on deployment for the U.S. Navy. She described how she and her husband made the decision to transform their small friends-only space to a thriving, successful CrossFit affiliate. Russell talked about developing and fostering the right kind of culture and attitude at the box and described how she conducts their nutrition challenges.

1hr 2min 8sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit Local.

21, 15 and 9 reps for time of:
Wall-ball shots, 30-lb. slam ball
275-lb. deadlifts
Burpees
Then immediately complete as many toes-to-bars as possible in two minutes.

4:55 Ben Bergeron is the owner of CrossFit New England, and he was the driving force behind CFNE’s Affiliate Cup victory at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. Bergeron talked about his team’s experience at the Games and what it was like to coach the athletes all year long. Recognized in the community as a great programmer, Bergeron described how he creates the workouts at his box, and he touched on CFNE’s Elements class. Finally, he described what CFNE’s training camp is and why it’s so popular.

36:40 Rob Orlando owns Hybrid Athletics and is CrossFit’s expert for all things strongman. Orlando came on the show to talk about the Strongman Seminars he conducts around the world and described how the seminars have evolved. Orlando explained how strongman movements can benefit a CrossFitter before moving on to talk about his experience at the Reebok CrossFit Games last summer. He described what happened to him during the swim and how he ended his competition on a positive note despite having to pull out of the first event.

1hr 4min 51sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit South City:

For time:
95-lb. thruster, 21 reps
135-lb. clean and jerk, 5 reps
50 double-unders
50 sit-ups
21 pull-ups
135-lb. clean and jerk, 5 reps
40 double-unders
40 sit-ups
95-lb. thruster, 15 reps
135-lb. clean and jerk, 5 reps
30 double-unders
30 sit-ups
15 pull-ups
135-lb. clean and jerk, 5 reps
20 double-unders
20 sit-ups
95-lb. thruster, 9 reps
135-lb. clean and jerk, 5 reps
10 double-unders
10 sit-ups
9 pull-ups
135-lb. clean and jerk, 5 reps

5:25 Cody Looney owns CrossFit Advantage and came on the show to talk about running a successful affiliate. He explained what’s involved in moving into a bigger space and how he stays motivated as an affiliate owner. He talked about what he does to promote the culture he desires in his box and gave coaching tips on helping members who aren’t moving through the full range of motion. Looney described what he’s done to increase the number of athletes attending his box, and he explained what things he avoids as an affiliate owner.

34:10 Jon Gilson owns Again Faster Equipment and told the story of how he was a bank teller and became interested in fitness. He then started working out at an affiliate in Boston, and he described the changes it made in his life, including motivating him to quit smoking. Gilson talked about evolving into a CrossFit coach, Level 1 Seminar Staff member and business owner. Again Faster had humble beginnings but has grown over time, and Gilson explained how he started providing media stories and videos to CrossFit HQ. Finally, Gilson described a recent initiative he has started that’s designed to help wounded-warrior athletes compete in various sports.

1hr 2min

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from Carport CrossFit:

Three rounds for rounds and reps of:
155-lb. hang power cleans, 1 minute
24-inch box jumps, 1 minute
155-lb. front squat, 1 minute
Burpees, 1 minute
155-lb. push jerks, 1 minute
Rest 1 minute

2:50 Scott DeTore (CrossFit Kryptonite) is a P.E. teacher/administrator in New York, but he’s also the fittest 45-49-year-old in the world after winning his masters division at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. DeTore came on the show to talk about his Games experience and share his insight into how the competition has evolved for masters athletes. DeTore talked about his training and preparation for the Games, including overcoming a biceps tear, and how he has made adjustments to his training since July. After explaining some of the things it takes to open an affiliate, DeTore detailed his nutrition and divulged his secret of frozen Oreos.

29:15 Mike Warkentin is the Managing Editor of the CrossFit Journal, and he explained how a chance meeting with Pat Barber at a Level 1 Seminar early in 2009 resulted in a job with CrossFit HQ. Warkentin described some of the things he’s learned from the CrossFit community over two years in his position and how he used those experiences to open CrossFit 204 in Winnipeg, Canada. He explained how interested people can submit ideas to the Journal and what makes an idea stand out from all the other submissions. With the growth of CrossFit around the world, the CrossFit Journal is expanding to focus on more areas of CrossFit training and the CrossFit lifestyle. Warkentin talked about some of the new features in the Journal and some of the ones that are coming soon.

54min 26sec

The Workout of the Week (WOW) is from CrossFit L.A.’s website:

In 3 minutes, complete the following:
Run 200 meters
135-lb. thrusters, max reps
Rest 2 minutes
In 6 minutes, complete the following:
Run 400 meters
135-lb. thrusters, max reps
Rest 2 minutes
In 9 minutes, complete the following:
Run 800 meters
135-pound thrusters, max reps

The score for this workout is the total number of thrusters in each round.

5:25 Bill Shockley owns CrossFit A.C.T. in Saddle Brook, N.J. He told his unique story of finding CrossFit and how he has continually sought to become a better CrossFit trainer and coach. He also gave coaching advice on how he helps his athletes use their training journals. Shockley and Jessica Murden recently put together the Nasty Northeast Throwdown, and he explained why they put on the event and what the first day was like on 9/11. Finally, Shockley talked about the next competition he will host for LEOs, called the “Battle of the Badges.”

30:55 Dr. Cooker Perkins is a professor and researcher at Pepperdine University, where she teaches courses in sports medicine and conducts research on maternal and child health. Perkins came on the show to talk about some of her research that was recently featured in the CrossFit Journal article CrossFit Training During Pregnancy and Motherhood. She described how pregnant CrossFit women who continue to work out are breaking new ground in the area of exercising while pregnant. She also gave recommendations and warning signs for women who choose to be active during pregnancy, and she talked about her future research plans.

Due to an email problem, Dr. Perkins asks that any women who previously contacted her please reconnect via this address: cperkins@pepperdine.edu.

Women who are interested in learning more about the study and participating are also encouraged to contact her at the same address. Initial eligibility: women who voluntarily participated in CrossFit training during their pregnancy (no intensity or frequency requirements) and kept a consistent log of their workouts.

1hr 21sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from Jet City CrossFit:

Complete 75 reps in as few sets as possible of:
100-lb. overhead squats
Rest as needed between sets

6:25 Julie Foucher placed fifth at the 2010 CrossFit Games and showed her consistency with another fifth-place finish at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. Foucher came on the show to speak about her Games experience and how she realized her growth as a CrossFitter while competing this past summer. She spoke about the different Games events and described why the Dog Sled workout was her favorite. Finally, Foucher explained how she manages to train consistently while attending medical school and talked about how CrossFit became an instant addiction for her.

29:40 Joe DeGain owns CrossFit 810 in Grand Blanc, Mich. He described how he tries to think outside the box when it comes to improving the athlete experience at his box. With the Games season approaching in the New Year, Degain talked about a group of his athletes who just competed in their first CrossFit competition, and he described how he balances his programming and coaching for those who want to compete and those who just want general physical preparedness. He also talked about creating and fostering community and gave advice on how he would handle certain coaching situations that come up.

56min 59sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from Delta CrossFit in Brentwood, Calif.:

30 wall-balls
30 burpees
115-lb. power cleans, 30 reps
115-lb. back squats, 30 reps
115-lb. push presses, 30 reps
115-lb. sumo deadlift high pulls, 30 reps
30 box Jumps (30 inches)
30 knees-to-elbows

4:35 Doug Chapman owns Hyperfit USA (CrossFit Ann Arbor) in Ann Arbor, Mich. He talked about integrating social media with a website and described how and why he uses workout videos on his site. Chapman explained how he came up with his current pricing model and how a new affiliate can determine what coaching and the CrossFit experience are worth. He also explained how he communicates that value to a prospective member so the person understands what he or she will get at the affiliate. Finally, Chapman detailed his new client-acquisition pitch and the baseline WOD he uses.

31:45 Chuck Carswell came on the show to talk about the HQ Seminar Staff Trainers Summit that took place in San Diego, Calif., in late October. He summarized what Coach Greg Glassman spoke about and also detailed what investigative journalist Gary Taubes (Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It) covered in his lecture on nutrition. Carswell shared his biggest takeaway from the weekend and told the story of working out in the hotel fitness room with several well-known CrossFitters. Carswell spends a lot of time on the road, and he talked about how he answers questions about fitness from non-CrossFitters.

1hr 2min 49sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit Amundson.

Complete the following for time:
Row 1,000 meters
75 hand-release push-ups
185-lb. deadlift, 50 reps

1:45 Chef Nick Massie is featured in a host of popular cooking videos in the CrossFit Journal, and he came on the show to talk about a DVD and cookbook he’s creating to help CrossFitters gain more confidence in the kitchen. Massie talked about his culinary background, how he found CrossFit and how he merges his two passions. During the interview, Massie shared his top three tips cooking tips and explained how his hobby of creating handmade wooden rings has turned into a business.

30:15 Graham Holmberg earned the title World’s Fittest Man in 2010 by winning the CrossFit Games, and he followed that performance up with a fourth-place finish at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. The elite athlete from Ohio described how his training and preparation differed over the past two years and talked about the added pressure on athletes who have won the Games. Holmberg also shared what it was like to watch himself on ESPN2. Finally, he explained how his affiliate, Rogue Fitness, is preparing for next year’s affiliate competition.

56min 5sec

The Workout of the Week (WOW) is from the 2010 MidWestern Sectional.

For time:
20 thrusters
20 sumo deadlift high pulls
20 push jerks
20 overhead squats
20 front squats

Men use 95 lb, and women use 65 lb. Each athlete must do four burpees at the beginning of every minute before moving on to the barbell work.

6:20 Shannon DeGraw has dropped 100 lb. since starting CrossFit a year ago. She came on the show to talk about her experience and explained what it was like to try and lose weight at a Globo Gym. Things were very different when she walked into CrossFit Belmar. DeGraw talked about the first few weeks of working out and what got her to stick with it, and she described what it’s like for her to be a part of the CrossFit community. DeGraw detailed her nutrition and explained what adjustments she has made to succeed when myriad “fad diets” failed her.

35:30 Spencer Nix is a member of HQ’s Seminar Staff and is also a trainer at CrossFit Dallas Central. Nix talked about deciding to pursue an opportunity to be on an Olympic team and explained why he chose the sport of bobsled. Nix described the qualification process and how he just got the news that he made the U.S. Bobsled Team. According to Nix, he prefers the box to the Olympic Training Center, and he talked about the unique programming at CrossFit Dallas Central. Nix closed by talking about what it’s like to be on HQ’s Seminar Staff.

1hr 6min 1sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit Boca Raton:

Four rounds for time of:

10 push jerks (135 lb.)

15 toes-to-bars

10 ring dips

3:55 Bill Grundler just started his fourth nutritional challenge at CrossFit Inferno, and he came on the show to share what has and has not worked for him and his athletes. He explained how he sets up his challenges and why he does it the way he does. Grundler’s object is to make the challenges as inclusive as possible, then provide the education and tools for his athletes to make the direct correlation between eating properly and the results they get. Grundler also outlined the main points of a nutrition lecture he gives at the beginning of every challenge.

34:55 Matt Chan owns CrossFit Verve and has placed in the top 10 in the last four CrossFit Games. Chan and Chris Spealler recently competed together at the UFC Expo and won the event as a team. Chan talked about the competition and the programming for the workouts. He also described his experience at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games and compared this year’s event to previous Games. Like Grundler, Chan has conducted several successful nutritional challenges at CrossFit Verve, and he described what he’s found to be the most helpful to those who have completed the challenges.

1hr 1min 39sec

Complete the following:
Ring push-ups
Deadlift (275/185 lb.)
10-8-6-4-2 reps of above prescription
200 double-unders
10-8-6-4-2 reps of above prescription

5:20 Dr. Brian Moore is a physician in Springfield, Ill. He found CrossFit six months ago and described how his life has changed dramatically in a short amount of time. A 47-year-old who trains at Capital City CrossFit, Moore talked about how his body naturally started to desire foods that would enhance performance, and he explained how he’s attained goals he would have thought impossible before starting CrossFit. The changes were so striking that Dr. Moore’s wife started CrossFit. Interestingly, Moore did some research and found out how “burpees” got their name.

23:05 James Hobart helped CrossFit New England win the 2011 Affiliate Cup, and he came on the show to talk about his experience at the Reebok CrossFit Games. Hobart described what it was like to compete on a team with other elite CrossFitters and how the CFNE crew prepared and strategized for the exciting winner-take-all final workout. Hobart also talked about how he found CrossFit, his athletic background, what’s next for his training and what he does in his job at Reebok.

52min 41sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from Pat Sherwood’s Facebook page.

4 rounds of:
30 double-unders
20 OHS (75/55 lb.)
15 wall-ball shots
10 burpees
(Rest 2-3 minutes between rounds)

1:55 At 22, Spencer Hendel is already a CrossFit Games veteran, with his highest placing coming this year, when he finished ninth. Hendel came on the show to talk about his training and how the 2011 Games compared to previous editions. He explained how he worked on upper-body gymnastics movements with a Russian coach and described his strategy for the contest in Carson. Hendel also shared a little about his athletic background, what it’s like to work at Reebok CrossFit One and how his life has changed since finding CrossFit.

33:30 Dave Newman followed his passion and turned it into a business that allowed him to change careers in his 40s. He is the owner of RX Jump Ropes and has become a double-under expert. Newman described how he sucked at double-unders and tried every rope on the market to help him improve. Along the way, he started to make his own ropes. This year, Rich Froning Jr. and Josh Bridges both competed using one of Newman’s ropes. Newman explained what you want to look for in a jump rope and how important it is to get one that fits your height, and he gave some great tips and advice on how to improve your doubles.

1hr 9min 57sec

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is Fat Jesus by CrossFit JAX:

5 rounds for time of:
Body-weight ground to overhead, 6 reps
Chest-to-bar pull-ups, 12 reps
Double-unders, 18 reps

8:40 James Hobson owns Crossfit Addiction in Georgia and has organized other affiliates in the Atlanta area into competition leagues. Hobson described how he conceptualized the idea and put it into motion. The league is starting its second season with 42 teams competing, and he’s already had to turn teams away. Hobson explained how the competitions work and discussed the benefits of being part of the league, and he also gave advice to other affiliate owners who would like to form their own leagues.

31:20 Carl Paoli is an expert on gymnastics and human movement. He gave his perspective on being in London at the time of the riots and explained how he used what he learned from Tony Blauer to keep himself safe. Carl also helped coach Annie Thorisdottir to her championship at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. He described what it was like to work with her and how they determined what areas she needed to focus on. Paoli explained how the average CrossFitter can assess him- or herself and target weaknesses. Finally, the coach talked about his website GymnasticsWOD.com and how it can benefit CrossFitters.

1hr 3min 44sec

54min 7sec

6:05 Annie Thorisdottir proved she was an exceptional athlete in 2009, when she was high on the Games leaderboard until muscle-ups came up in the final chipper. She placed second in 2010, and in 2011 she won the coveted title World’s Fittest Female. Iceland Annie came on the show to talk about her experience at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. She described what it was like to compete against the best athletes in the world and come out on top, and she detailed what her life has been like since the competition. Now she’s actually a celebrity in her home country, and CrossFit’s popularity has exploded in Iceland because of the media attention. Thorisdottir also talked about going to Reebok Headquarters and the tour she will do with Reebok later this year.

35:30 Rich Froning Jr., a crowd favorite since his first Games in 2010, has had a busy year in 2011. He trained hard all year, got married in June and won the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games in July. Rich talked about how he loved the programming at this year’s competition, and he discussed his favorite event: the Rope/Clean. Froning failed on the rope climbs in 2010 but had them mastered in 2011, and he shared how he prepared for the competition. He also discussed coaching athletes at Tennessee Tech and working with the coaches of various sports to ensure the athletes are training with functional fitness. Finally, the new champ commented on Reebok’s involvement in the sport and what his relationship with them has been like.

1hr 51sec

40:05 Michael Allred called in from Afghanistan, which is a first for CrossFit Radio. Allred is at Kandahar Airfield and has created and organized the Afghan Games, which will take place Sept. 10 and 11. Allred created the event in order to provide a stage for deployed personnel to showcase their CrossFit skills, and he talked about how several big-name sponsors have stepped up and made the event possible. He also described what it means to him and some of the other warriors to be competing on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

1hr 2min 43sec

29:10 Josh Bridges was hurled into the spotlight when he placed second in the Open. He went on to dominate his regional and then placed second overall at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. Josh gave his opinion and perspective on the programming at the competition and how he strategized for the different events. He described what his experience was like the week of the Games and how he had an advantage with CrossFit Invictus athletes there to support him. Josh explained how he found CrossFit and reflected on the times he would haul his gear around in his car and do WODs at parks or track-and-field venues. He also offered some great advice to any CrossFitter looking to step up his or her fitness.

51min 49sec

32:30 Ben Smith recently placed third at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. He came on the show to talk about his experience at the Home Depot Center. While Smith enjoyed being in the medals, he admitted his bronze wasn’t quite what he wanted. Ben talked about his training leading up to the competition and discussed how the skills and drills portion of this year’s Games played to his strengths. Finally, the young Games vet shared a little about his diet.

59min 16sec

36:55 Cheryl Brost placed 13th at the 2010 CrossFit Games and attacked her training hard this past year. The 40-year-old mother of two stormed into the Home Depot Center this July and placed seventh overall. Brost came on the show to talk about her experience at the Games, and she described why the first workout was the one she disliked the most. She also detailed her favorite event and gave her thoughts on the skills-and-drills portion of the competition. Finally, Cheryl talked about training to compete at an elite level while maintaining a balance in life with marriage, kids and a career.

1hr 8min 21sec

30:45 Rebecca Voigt is now the third-fittest female on the planet after taking bronze at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. She described her experience at the competition and explained how she stepped up her training this past year by including special track workouts several times a week and swim training. Voigt, from Valley CrossFit, works out with Kristan Clever (second place) and Katie Hogan (20th), which clearly helped her take her training to another level. Because of a car accident prior to the competition, Voigt was plagued with a bad case of vertigo during the events, and she explained how she fought through to finish on the podium.

58 min 16 sec

22:45 Jenny LaBaw moved to Chico, Calif., and started CrossFitting last year. Surprisingly, she placed sixth in the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games. LaBaw came on the show to talk about her experience during the competition and described what effect the Games will have on her training this year. LaBaw commented on how the Open and the Games were complete tests of fitness, and she described the swim that opened the 2011 Games.

54min 16sec

31:15 Several of the CrossFit Games athletes give their perspective on the first event of the competition. They each talk swimming and CrossFit and how the two are tied together.

1hr 0min 58sec

4:15 Former pro soccer player and college heptathlete Lindsey Smith came on the show to talk about her experience throughout the CrossFit Games qualification process. The CrossFit Central athlete gave her thoughts on what she would have changed about the Open and the regional competitions, and she talked about her training over the last year, as well as her expectations for this year’s Reebok CrossFit Games. A veteran of the Sport of Fitness, Lindsey reflected on how the sport has grown and evolved over time.

29:40 Carey Kepler placed third at the ’09 Games and looks to return to the podium this year at the Home Depot Center. She described what it means to her to qualify for the Reebok CrossFit Games with the competition getting better and better every year. She talked about regionals and what it’s like to train with Smith and Lisa Thiel on a weekly basis. Finally, Carey described different methods she employs to perform at her best, such as acupuncture, cryotherapy and yoga.

55min 15sec

26:05 Jesse Disch recently won the North West Regional and came on the show to talk about his preparations for the Reebok CrossFit Games. He explained how he fits in two to three workouts a day and why he follows CrossFit.com programming. Jesse works out in his garage, and he described how his personal gym has come together over the years. Most CrossFitters believe food is important, but Jesse takes things to a new level by raising chickens in his back yard. Finally, he gave his thoughts on competing at the Games this summer and how he will taper before and recover during the event.

54min 53sec

2:20 Adam Stevenson opened Outlier CrossFit a week before the Reebok CrossFit Games Open started and had only a short time to form a team. Not only did a team come together, but it also qualified for regionals and only missed qualifying for the Reebok CrossFit Games by a slim margin. Adam spoke about his team’s experience at the regional and breaking two world records, as well as the lessons they learned from the weekend. Back to business, Adam shared a little about how he runs his affiliate.

24:30 Angie Pye crushed the Canada West Regional, taking only eight points on the way to victory. She talked about her rugby background, how she found CrossFit and why she loves it. Angie also talked about her weaknesses (as she perceives them) and described how and when she made the decision to compete as an individual. Even though she qualified as an individual, Pye will have teammate Alicia Connors beside her at the games, and Angie explained what it’s like to train with another top athlete. Finally, Angie detailed what kind of a workout she would like to see at the Home Depot Center.

43min 56sec

21:15 Aja Barto recently won the South Central Regional by an impressive 16 points. He described his experience at regionals and what it feels like to qualify for the Reebok CrossFit Games. Aja detailed his training over the past year and described how he has worked on his weaknesses, including watching film on the Amanda workout from the 2010 Games and changing the way he does muscle-ups to be more efficient. He explained what final preparations he will make before the Games and shared a little about his athletic background, which includes time in the Texas Rangers organization.

47min 27sec

33:10 CrossFit Games veteran individual competitor Heather Bergeron has made the move to compete as part of the CrossFit New England team this year. She talked about her decision to “go team.” Now that she has competed as both an individual and as part of a team, she talked about the differences between the two and what her experience was like competing with her squad at the recent Northeast Regional. Heather reflected on the regional competition, where her team won an unprecedented six of six workouts, and she explained what her team’s programming and preparations will look like in the next month before the Reebok CrossFit Games.

1hr 3min 50sec

5:55 Michelle Kinney placed 10th at last year’s CrossFit Games, and after winning her regional she will advance to this year’s main event with more confidence than ever. Michelle talked about her experience last weekend at the Central East Regional and described her strategy and preparation for the workouts. She also explained what’s different with her training this year and how she’ll train and eat for the next six weeks leading up to the Games.

36:10 CrossFit Games veteran Patrick Burke is looking to improve upon his seventh-place finish from a year ago. He just won the Southwest Regional and described what it was like to come out on top of a stacked field of competitors. His confidence is high, and he believes he has a great shot at making it onto the podium at the Home Depot Center this year. Burke also talked about his strengths and weaknesses and gave his thoughts on where the sport of fitness might be in five years. Finally, he talked about how companies like Progenex, Rogue and Reebok have helped the sport to grow and helped the athletes as well.

1hr 3min 19sec

32:20 2008 CrossFit Games champion Jason Khalipa bested some very stiff competition at the Northern California Regional, and he came on the show to give his thoughts on the event. Khalipa is an athlete known more for his strength than his skill with body-weight movements, so he explained how he’s been working on his weaknesses and what type of things have helped him prepare for the Games this year. He talked about peaking at the right time and how he plans to do that at the Home Depot Center. Jason explained how beneficial it has been for him to train with fellow competitor Neal Maddox, and he detailed what he’ll be up to between now and the main event.

54min 10sec

4:30 Tony Blauer of Blauer Tactical Systems came on the show to talk about his popular Be Your Own Bodyguard seminars. Tony talked about feedback he gets from students who have attended his seminars and found them helpful. Carl Paoli is one such student. Carl joined the discussion to tell of an experience he had where he used Tony’s techniques to successfully avoid a physical confrontation. Blauer explained why it’s necessary to know what a potential assailant wants and how to watch for cues that let you know an attacker’s intentions. Tony went on to describe some of the things that are taught at his seminars.

32:40 By winning the North Central Regional last weekend, Stacie Tovar qualified for the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games, making this the third year in a row that she will compete at the main event. Stacie came on the show to talk about her experience at the regional and gave her thoughts on the Open that preceded it. She talked about the regional programming and gave insight into what she did to recover between days and events. Stacie described her diet and training, along with her weaknesses, and she talked about what the next two months will look like for her as she prepares for the Reebok CrossFit Games in July.

54min 51sec

13:40 Darwin Hunt is currently traveling around the country visiting different affiliates and taking pictures of well-known CrossFitters. He isn’t a member of the paparazzi but rather the creator of a calendar aimed at capturing the lighter side of the CrossFit community. The best part about the project is that all profits will go to deserving charities. Darwin came on the show to talk about how the idea was conceived and put into motion. He spoke about the charities that will benefit and how and when CrossFitters will be able to get their hands on their own calendar.

31:20 Cliff Lewis is the owner of CrossFit Heath in Heath, Texas, but he’s better known for being the champion of the Reebok CrossFit Games Open masters division (45-49). Cliff came on the show to give his thoughts on the Open and his performance. He spoke candidly about entering the Games with a target on his back and described his strengths and weaknesses, as well as how he found CrossFit. According to Cliff, his life has transformed since starting the program a year and a half ago. Finally, the affiliate owner explained what his training and diet will look like with the Games looming on the horizon.

51min 52sec

18:00 Tony Zana and Baker Leavitt are CrossFitters first and creators of 2Pood second. 2Pood makes performance clothing and accessories for CrossFit athletes. The duo came on the show to talk about the creation of their apparel and how they test their designs. 2Pood sponsors a host of elite CrossFitters, as well as CrossFit events around the country. They explained how they determine which athletes they want to have on their team, as well as how they chose their company’s unique name.

36:30 Jasmine Dever’s CrossFit accomplishments are impressive. She competed in the 2010 CrossFit Games and is storming into this season by finishing first in the Southwest Region and 18th overall in the Reebok CrossFit Games Open. After a disappointing finish in last year’s Games, Dever was highly motivated as she entered this season. Jasmine talked about her training and what she will do between now and her regional competition.

59min 59sec

18:55 CrossFit Clitheroe in Lancashire, England, is about a half an hour’s drive from where the European Regional will be hosted. CrossFit Clitheroe’s owner, Anthony Cross, came on the show to talk about how he’s helping the community attend and participate in the event. He and his athletes have opened their homes for visitors wanting to attend the competition, and he’s planning pre-competition WODs and post-competition team WODs for each day so those attending will still be able to work out and not miss training days.

29:25 Jeff Tucker is HQ’s subject-matter expert on all things gymnastics, and he also owns GSX CrossFit in Fort Worth, Texas. He talked about his part in the Life As Rx’d tour coming up and explained that CrossFitters will be able to compete for free. Jeff also described his soon-to-be-released new book, and he gave his perspective on the Reebok CrossFit Open and how he’ll prepare his athletes for the upcoming regionals. Jeff ended by looking forward to the Games this summer and some of the things CrossFitters can expect at the Home Depot Center.

59min 18sec

6:25 Annie Thorisdottir, also known as “Iceland Annie,” came on the show to talk about her performance in the Reebok CrossFit Games Open. She explained the strategy behind waiting until the last moment to post her scores and described what it was like to fight with Kristan Clever for that top spot. Annie also explained how she benefited from spending a week with Olympic-lifting expert Mike Burgener. Looking ahead, Annie outlined what her training will look like between now and the CrossFit Games. Finally, she talked about her diet and her favorite breakfast, which is something you’ve probably never heard of.

34:05 Tony Budding is the CrossFit Director of Media. Now that the Reebok CrossFit Games Open is over, he talked about the biggest lessons HQ learned from the six-week competition. Tony described how the competition validates the findings from the 2010 CrossFit Games and explained what will happen next in the regional competitions. With events going on all over the world, Tony described how the CrossFit community can keep up to date on the action at all 17 regionals.

1hr 11min 24sec

24:10 Larry Maier and Carlo Mattia are the owners of CrossFit The Rock in Rockville Centre, N.Y. They came on the show to talk about running a successful affiliate. The pair explained how they always hire their coaches from their membership ranks, and they commented on how they’ve succeeded while sharing space with a large health club and having several other CrossFit affiliates in close proximity. Larry and Carlo also offered candid thoughts on the Reebok CrossFit Games Open, as well as suggestions on how they think it could be better in the future.

56min 31sec

25:10 Lance Breeden owns Ultimate CrossFit in Charlotte, N.C. Lance described the various programs offered at his box and explained how he added the different programs over time to provide a better experience for his athletes. Lance talked about the early days when he was the only member of his affiliate and how he has successfully built up the number of members. Ultimate CrossFit is participating in the Open, and Lance explained what that has done for his athletes, whether they’re competing or not.

52min 41sec

5:35 Besides being an affiliate owner and a staff member for the Level 1 seminars, Justin Bergh is also the Asst. Director of the CrossFit Games. Halfway through the six-week competition, Justin came on the show to talk about how the Open is shaping up so far. He spoke about recently announced WOD 11.4 and shared some of his expectations going into the regional competitions and eventually the Games. Justin described what his affiliate, CrossFit Southside, is doing to support the Open and how he, as an affiliate owner, is helping his athletes who are competing as well as those who aren’t.

33:10 After three workouts, Dan Bailey is leading the pack in the Open and sits ahead of CrossFit web-lebrities and former Games champions alike. He came on the show to talk about his performance on the first three WODs and explained his strategy heading into WOD 11.4. Dan described his athletic background and how he found CrossFit, and he detailed his training and his use of “strength Tabatas” to help prep him for the competition season this year.

1hr 0min 56sec

4:50 Gil Hollingsworth is competing in the Southwest Region and was in eighth place when this show was aired. Gil narrowly missed qualifying for the 2010 Games by two spots, and he spoke about the disappointment of not making the cut and having to watch the Games last summer. Gil talked about his training leading into this season and what adjustments he’s made. He spoke about the Open competition so far and his solid performance on the first two WODs, and he explained how he plans to attack WOD 3.

29:40 Elyse Umeda is a fan favorite at CrossFit competitions, and the former Princeton women’s basketball star was leading the Northern California Region after WOD 2. Elyse talked about her love of competition, from the 2010 Games to the CrossFit-USAW event that went down in Colorado Springs in October 2010. She explained what her training volume looks like on a weekly basis and how she prepared for this year’s season. Elyse also detailed the strategy she employed for the first third of the Open. The outstanding athlete is also a pretty good affiliate owner. She opened a new box a little over a month ago and already has over 100 members. She spoke about getting CrossFit 808 off the ground and what has enabled her to be successful right out of the gate.

1hr 2min 40sec

25:40 Valerie MacKenzie Voboril came on the show to talk about the changes in her life since the 2010 CrossFit Games last summer. Most notably, she is now six months pregnant and still CrossFitting. She talked about her training and how it’s different now that she’s expecting. Valerie went into detail to describe her diet and how it affects her training, and she described what she eats on a daily and weekly basis. She also offered tips on how workout performance can indicate when dietary changes are needed. Finally, Valerie served up some great nutrition and portion advice that applies to CrossFitters of all levels of experience.

54min 46sec

32:50 Justin played a documentary in which Emily Beers surveyed CrossFit women about the peaks and valleys of dating as a single CrossFitter.

39:45 Annie Fowler completed the first WOD of the Open Competition by nailing 223 reps of double-unders and snatches—while in her third trimester of pregnancy. She spoke about CrossFitting during pregnancy and how she has hit several PRs in the last eight months. She explained why she decided not to let her pregnancy slow her down and described how she has had to taper some movements and weights with advice from her doctor. Annie also talked about her diet and how it has changed now that she’s eating for two.

58min 14sec

3:20 Sarah Wilson came on the show to talk about the Heraean Games she’s hosting. The competition will feature female CrossFitters only, and she explained that her motivation was to provide a format where the strong, competitive women of CrossFit could compete in the spotlight.

14:50 Kevin Montoya is the owner of CrossFit FlexGym. He took ownership of a conventional gym and infused it with CrossFit, and he talked about running a gym that’s a CrossFit box and a traditional fitness facility. Montoya also talked about how he came to be featured frequently on the main site demonstrating the daily WOD, and he described his athletic background. Montoya is in the process of recovering from a bout with rhabdo and explained how it happened and how he’s dealing with it.

41:10 Camille Leblanc-Bazinet won the hearts of CrossFitters around the world when she came into the 2010 CrossFit Games virtually unknown and left with a ninth-place finish. She came on the show to talk about her training and diet, as well as the mental preparation she puts into each WOD: she has established rules for her workouts that she never lets herself break. CLB also talked about moving to Boston and training with Dave Lipson and the people at Reebok CrossFit One, and the French Canadian explained how she’s preparing for competition this year.

1hr 5min 9sec

5:35 Hilton Head Health Institute is a prestigious residential treatment center for those looking to lose weight and learn to create a healthy lifestyle. Adam Martin is the fitness director at Hilton Head Health, and he’s also an athlete at CrossFit Hilton Head. Hilton Head Health is currently being featured on A&E’s television program Heavy, and Adam came on the show to talk about how he used CrossFit to help clients reach their goals. He also explained how he’s taken clients to CrossFit Hilton Head only to have several fall in love with CrossFit and continue with the program after they go home.

26:15 Bill Grundler is one of the owners of CrossFit Inferno. He came on the show to talk about how he’s encouraged his athletes to compete in the Reebok CrossFit Games Open. He spoke about hosting the weekly WODs at his box and how he is personally preparing for the upcoming competition season. Bill shared his philosophies on programming and what he looks to accomplish when he designs his WODs, and he explained how he emphasizes warm-ups that tie in with the WOD and prepare athletes for intense activity.

57min 24sec

6:20 Glen Harrison created the Met-Con5 Training Journal and came on the show to talk about some of its features. He talked about how important goals are in achieving elite fitness and how the journal was designed to help you set, keep track of and reflect on your CrossFit goals. Glen also talked about how to get the most mileage out of the food-log portion of the journal.

27:10 Jason Ackerman is one of the owners of Albany CrossFit. He came on the show to talk about what his affiliate will be doing for the CrossFit Games Open. He explained how and why he’s encouraging his athletes to compete, and he described the steps he’s taken to plan for the event. Of course, he had some advice for other affiliate owners who are thinking of hosting Open workouts. Ackerman also described his affiliate’s on-ramp program and some of the things he’s done to create a community.

46:20 Potomac CrossFit owner Brian Wilson is joining forces with 15 other affiliates to create a “sectional-like” atmosphere for the Open, and he described how the affiliates are coordinating the event. He expressed a desire to provide a fun, entertaining and competitive event like the ones so many CrossFitters participated in last year. Wilson addressed a hot issue by explaining how the judging will be directed and also what steps will be taken to eradicate cheating. His goal is to make sure that only the best competitors advance to regionals.

1hr 6min 47sec

7:50 Jason Cain lives in Ontario, Canada, and competed in the 2010 CrossFit Games as part of an affiliate team. This year, he’s looking to punch his ticket to the Games as an individual. He came on the show to talk about his training, nutrition and road to the Games, and he discussed how recent wins in CrossFit competitions have fueled his desire to train harder. He also talked about his background in wrestling and how he hired gymnastics and running coaches to help him eliminate any weaknesses.

34:20 Rory McKernan is part of the media team that will be coordinating the Games and bringing them to the CrossFitter via the Internet. Rory came on the show to talk about the CrossFit Games Open and gave his thoughts on the new format. He described the website that will make the updated scores, stats and videos accessible to the world, and he detailed how people will submit their results. He went on to address concerns about missed reps and cheaters and explained how the team competition and masters events will run. Rory ended by offering his early prediction for the Games winners.

1hr 7min 32sec

30:10 Montana athlete Susan Habbe, 49, came on the show to talk about her potential road to the Games. She told the story of how she found CrossFit and was hooked ever since she was introduced to Kelly Jo Smith two years ago. Susan talked about her desire to compete as part of CrossFit Montana’s Affiliate Cup team rather than as an individual master’s athlete. She also detailed her training and nutrition and the lessons learned as an older athlete hitting the box every day. She says it’s very important for a masters athlete to get proper rest and recovery.

55min 55sec

23:27 Emily Beers of CrossFit Vancouver created a short documentary on CrossFitters who narrowly missed qualifying for a CrossFit competition. She looks at the emotional costs of failing to qualify and follows two Canadians as they prepare to never let that happen again.

32:10 FunBobby Kwasny and his wife Andrea own CrossFit Subzero in Thunder Bay, Ont. Their Feb. 5 Intergalactic Throwdown was a three-WOD cross-Canada competition conducted online in much the same format as the upcoming open competition for this year’s CrossFit Games. FunBobby came on the show to explain how and why he put the event together and said it was great to have up-and-comers throwing down with well-known CrossFit competitors regardless of geography. He also gave a primer on some Great White North competitors to watch out for in the upcoming season.

58min 44sec

3:45 Amber Wilson is an athlete at Clear Lake CrossFit. She started CrossFit one year ago and has seen amazing health benefits because of the intense exercise and focused nutrition plan. She gave her first impressions of CrossFit and explained how she wondered where the treadmills and air conditioning were. She also talked about how important the community has been to her success and explained how necessary it was for her to change her thinking in regards to diet and nutrition in order to reach her goals.

29:20 As co-owner of CrossFit La Verne, Sarah Rodriquez is always encouraging her athletes to compete in the Games’ qualifiers. Sarah leads from the front and is quite the competitor herself. She came on the show to talk about her road to the Games. She explained how important it is to gain experience in the competitive arena and described some of the competitions she has been in lately. She also spoke about owning an affiliate and growing it over time. She has moved her box twice and described that process, and she outlined which equipment was a priority as they started the affiliate with limited funds.

1hr 4min 47sec

5:10 Ben Smith is a junior at Old Dominion University and is looking for a return trip to the Games in order to compete for the title World’s Fittest Man. He came on the show to share his experiences from last year’s event and to talk about his road to the 2011 Games. Ben doesn’t work out at an affiliate, so he talked about training in his garage, backyard and various other places. He discussed his programming and the changes he’s making based on last year’s results. After talking about his diet, Ben spoke about the sport of CrossFit and how he’s seen it evolve.

34:35 CrossFit King of Prussia athlete Stephanie Vincent has lost over 100 lb. since starting CrossFit. Stephanie explained how she lost the weight and what her diet consists of now. She hit rock bottom after gaining weight after gastric-bypass surgery but says her mental and emotional states have transformed since starting CrossFit. Stephanie discussed how important the trainers and community from CKOP have been to her throughout the process.

57min 4sec

2:45 Shanna Duvall and her husband are two of the four owners of CrossFit Asheville in North Carolina. Shanna and her husband are also chiropractors, and while her main responsibility is the affiliate, her husband runs the chiropractic practice. She spoke about how they combine those two worlds, as well as how she has been able to grow their affiliate and train those athletes working for a shot at the CrossFit Games. Shanna talked about the community at her box and what she does to foster that atmosphere.

23:35 A recent scouting report on the Games site identified former Major League Baseball player Logan Gelbrich as one to watch in the upcoming season. On the show, Logan spoke about training at CrossFit LA with Andy Petranek. He gave his thoughts on the $250,000 winner’s purse at the Games and possibly seeing a swimming WOD this summer. He also spoke about his training in the Majors and how that compares to the CrossFit he’s doing now.

51min 30sec

1hr 0min 40sec

9:55 Leah Polaski was recently featured on the Games site as one to watch out for in the upcoming competition season. She came on the show to talk about her diet, her training and how a tiebreaker kept her from qualifying for the Games last year. Polaski is carefully considering her programming and training volume as she prepares for the upcoming competition season, and she echoed Austin Malleolo’s sentiments from last week by saying she believes it’s important to enter as many competitions as possible.

39:25 CrossFit Omaha placed second in last year’s Affiliate Cup competition, and co-owner Ricky Frausto came on the show to talk about how he prepares a team to compete. He gave his thoughts on last year’s Games and described how CrossFit Omaha prepares those members who want to compete as opposed to those who are CrossFitting for other reasons. Ricky also explained a business plan he’s using to combat this slow time of the year.

1hr 10min 27sec

2:50 Miranda Oldroyd is a member of HQ’s training staff, and she’s also a fierce competitor. She came on the show to talk about her plans to make a run at qualifying for the 2011 Games, and she spoke about her programming, training volume and the things she will emphasize as she prepares for the upcoming competition season. Miranda also explained how she maintains her fitness level with her busy travel schedule and described what it was like to participate in the Tahoe Throwdown with all of the Rogue and Again Faster athletes.

29:40 Albany CrossFit coach Austin Malleolo placed sixth at the 2010 CrossFit Games after only CrossFitting for a year. With his eyes on 2011, Malleolo spoke about his training and preparations for the upcoming qualification season, and he explained why gaining as much competitive experience as possible is necessary for his growth in the sport. Malleolo talked about how he found CrossFit and what his athletic background was like as he grew up. He recalled how his first WOD was Fran and said he jumped in with both feet right after that. Malleolo also touched on his training volume and how important recovery and nutrition are to him. According to the former hockey player, consistency is essential when it comes to training and nutrition.

1hr 0min 46sec

3:15 Chad Wittman is an executive with Reebok and has been instrumental in establishing its affiliate, Reebok CrossFit One. Chad came on the show to talk about the relationship between Reebok and CrossFit. He explained why Reebok is so interested in CrossFit and how he thinks each will benefit the other. Chad also talked about the CrossFit community and how important it is for Reebok to do all they can to help that community. Chad spoke about having an affiliate at Reebok corporate headquarters and explained the differences it has made in the working environment.

26:15 Jimi Letchford is the Director of Business Development for CrossFit. He explained what his job entails and what he’s currently doing to grow CrossFit, and he spoke about the relationship with Reebok. Jimi’s wife, Madeline, has been doing a lot of work to make the CrossFit Sports Series a success. She joined Jimi to talk about why the Sport Series is important to CrossFit and the community. Together, they described the events that have already taken place, highlighted the events that are set up for the near future, and explained how CrossFitters can get involved.

54min 50sec

21:00 Heber Cannon’s work is frequently featured on CrossFit’s sites, and he came on the show to talk about what it’s like to be a cameraman for CrossFit. After describing “a day in the life” of a CrossFit cameraman, he discussed his film background and how he was able to get his dream job. Heber went on to talk about what he’s looking for as he films people and workouts, as well as what it was like to film the CrossFit Games this past summer.

45min 44sec

1:25 Justin gave a product review of Samson Rings made by CrossFit affiliate owner Nick Massie.

6:30 Original firebreather Greg Amundson started training with Greg Glassman in the early days of CrossFit and has used his experiences since that time to create the powerful Greg Amundson CrossFit Goal Setting Seminar. Greg came on the show to explain how a CrossFitter would benefit from the seminar, and he defined what a goal actually is. By following the steps he outlines in his seminar, Greg believes one will see improvements in his or her performance. Greg also talked about how the knowledge gained from the seminar will carry over into other aspects of a CrossFitter’s life.

38:10 Justin issued a WOD challenge where the winner will receive a CrossFit Radio T-shirt.

40:50 Zach Even-Esh has built his affiliate, Underground Strength Gym, around training high-school and college athletes. He specializes in wrestlers but has had success with athletes from a variety of sports. Zach came on the show to talk about the difference between programming for athletes who are in season vs. those who are in their off season. Zach described how important general physical preparedness is to athletes, and he explained how having young athletes specialize can actually be detrimental to their progress in the long run.

1hr 14min 12sec

1:50 Karianne Dickson owns CrossFit Morristown and CrossFit Bernardsville in New Jersey. She came on the show to talk about the lessons learned over the past two years and the need for developing systems. Karianne also told listeners how she’s tried to develop the right type of culture in her affiliates, and she explained how she does the programming.

28:30 MobilityWOD creator Kelly Starrett came on the show to talk about the importance of stretching and how it can help improve performance. Kelly and his wife own San Francisco CrossFit. Since starting his blog 100 days ago, Starrett has been inundated with positive response and feedback. He explained how and why he started this project and why it’s important to have a framework or template to follow when looking to increase your mobility. Perhaps of greatest interest, he described how increased mobility helps lower your Fran time.

1hr 11min 28sec

4:50 Last summer at the CrossFit Games, Brian Curley proved he’s the fittest man on the planet over the age of 50. He came on the show to talk about what it was like to win the first masters event, and he described what it’s like to work out at CrossFit New England with Ben Bergeron programming his WODs. Curley explained how he maintains his intense training and Paleo eating habits in spite of the busy schedule his career demands, and he talked about the pressures he places on himself and how he’s planning on repeating as masters champion in 2011.

32:07 CrossFit Indestri owner Scott Thornton has many athletic achievements on his resume. Most prominent is an 18-year career as a pro athlete in the National Hockey League. During his long career, Scott encountered CrossFit-type workouts and saw the benefits in his conditioning and performance on the ice. He explained how he eventually found CrossFit and why he relished the rigorous workouts. Scott started his affiliate just a short time ago, and he described how he got things off the ground and why it was so important to him to focus on the right things from the beginning.

1hr 6min 16sec

4:40 Richard Airey has been an endurance athlete since he was five years old. He came on the show to talk about his conversion from the traditional method of training to CrossFit and CrossFit Endurance. Since attending a certification, he has used the CrossFit Endurance methodology to run less miles but increase his performance and reduce recovery time.

23:40 Following the example set by Brad Mckee to raise money and awareness for The Disposable Heroes Project, Brent Huntington has started a team that plans on running in this year’s Seattle Marathon on Nov. 28, 2010. He came on the show to talk about how this idea was formed and why it means so much to him. Brent also gave information on what people are doing to help and how CrossFitters can get involved.

37:35 Being a former SEAL and a Level 1 CrossFit trainer, Mark Divine knows how to physically and mentally prepare those soldiers desiring to enter the ranks of the world’s elite. Mark described what SEALFIT is and how it’s a step beyond his affiliate, US CrossFit. Mark talked about how his camps are designed to create elite fitness, mental toughness and a warrior spirit, and he explained how he programs his WODs to do this in a team environment. He also described what it was like to have well-known CrossFitters attend his recent Kokoro camp.

1hr 11min 22sec

3:10 Matthew DellaValle came on the show to talk about the decision to leave his career as an attorney in New York to become director of operations for Again Faster. It was a big decision that also involved moving from his hometown to another state, and Matt talked about why he decided to take the step. Ultimately, his passion for CrossFit was a deciding factor. He believes it’s very important to do something you enjoy.

18:45 Only four athletes have competed in all four editions of the CrossFit Games. Being one of the few, Breck Berry spoke about the evolution the Games have gone through since their inception and what it was like to be there that first year. He also explained how he has grown and evolved as a CrossFitter since he started. Beyond being a great athlete, Breck owns CrossFit Jenks in Jenks, Okla. He explained how he programs for his box and gave insight into the training and diet that have enabled him to repeatedly reach the pinnacle of the sport of fitness.

52min 23sec

4:05 Juan Valentin is the general manager for the Special Operation Forces Wounded Warrior Athlete Program. He came on the show to discuss how the program was founded, and he explained the many ways it supports elite soldiers who want to use CrossFit to aid their recovery. He described how 9Line helps to facilitate that support. Juan, a wounded SOF soldier himself, described some accomplishments these warriors have had since being injured and how CrossFit has played a major role in their achievements. For more info about 9Line and its programs, read Athletes—Always by Russell Berger.

28:30 Rich Froning Jr. came on the show to talk about the Team Rogue Vs. Team Again Faster Throwdown that recently took place in Tahoe. He described the atmosphere and what it was like to spend time with such incredible athletes and individuals, and he gave his thoughts on competing on a team as opposed to on his own. Rich talked about the injury that prevented him from competing in the CrossFit-USAW Open and explained how his training is going for next year’s Games. And yes, he also talked about his prowess on a climbing rope.

55min 48sec

12:35 Bryan Wadkins has made it his mission to honor all the heroes who pay the ultimate price and lay down their lives in the line of duty. Wadkins has taken on 38 Hero WODs in two months, and he spoke about the experiences he has had and the discoveries he has made since starting the endeavor. He talked about how the idea came about and why it’s become so important to him. Bryan described how he would like to turn his project into a fundraising event for the Wounded Warrior Foundation.

32:05 This week Skip Chase will celebrate his fifth anniversary of owning Mt. Baker CrossFit. He came on the show to talk about the changes he has seen in CrossFit and, more specifically, in his affiliate over the last five years. He talked about the philosophy they have incorporated in their box and why that’s making a lasting change in their community. Skip also spoke about how it’s important to be able to help your clients and athletes with their nutrition choices. He’s found the best approach is to go right into their homes and talk to them about what is or is not found in their pantry and refrigerator.

1hr 2min 19sec

25:25 HQ staff member and CrossFit Southside owner Justin Bergh came on the show to offer different tips and strategies for building a successful business. He talked about running an affiliate when the owner has a busy schedule, and he gave advice on how to hire the right trainer/coach. He also explained how his business is structured and why he felt the need to bring on an additional coach. Justin also shared his philosophy on effective programming and what he believes an affiliate owner should focus on as he or she programs for an affiliate.

1hr 3min 7sec

4:55 Since starting CrossFit and a Paleo/Zone diet 10 months ago, Khristian Moore has lost 107 lb. He came on the show to talk about his amazing transformation and a journey that went from discovering CrossFit online and trying it in his local Globo Gym to getting kicked out because of his “crazy workouts.” He described how he then found CrossFit Hardcore and felt at home. Moore also explained how he makes his diet work with his hectic work schedule and busy life.

33:05 Fernando David attended one of Brian MacKenzie’s first Endurance Certifications and was intrigued. David explained how he was still skeptical that an endurance athlete could improve performance without all the grueling miles, so he decided to try the program himself. After a significant PR on a triathlon and dramatically improved recovery, he was hooked. David has owned South Florida Endurance CrossFit for almost two years and has established a CrossFit Endurance Team with 52 members. He talked about his athletes’ training and the technique of running.

1hr 5min 1sec

2:50 In a recent CrossFit Journal article titled By the Numbers, authors Amy Santamaria and Tim Retzik detailed an eight-week Paleo Diet study they conducted at Flatirons CrossFit in Boulder, Colo. Amy explained how and why the study was conceived, then described how 21 people started the study, with 15 actually sticking it out the entire time. She outlined the data they collected and described their findings.

31:45 Skip Miller owns Front Range CrossFit with his wife Jodi. Skip, Jodi and several members of their affiliate were in attendance at the CrossFit-USAW Open competition that took place last weekend in Colorado Springs. The athletes from Front Range represented their affiliate rather well, and Skip described what their training has been like and outlined several of the programs offered at his box.

1hr 1min 22sec

2:15 Heather Bergeron came on the show to talk about her preparations for the CrossFit-USAW Open competition that’s taking place Oct. 1-3 in Colorado. Bergeron commented on how unique the competition will be and what strategy she plans to implement for the event. She also spoke about her diet and explained how she is Paleo/zone as much as possible. Planning for a road trip to Colorado, she described the differences in her diet when she’s on the road. Finally, Bergeron talked about her children doing CrossFit and how her daughter studies and enjoys Games competitors just like Heather herself studied NFL players growing up.

32:45 Dave Lipson recently moved from the East Coast to the West Coast and opened a new box a week ago. He explained his reasons for the move and what it’s been like to open a new affiliate. Lipson was recently featured in the Dissecting Dave and Nadia video series and commented on his experience with Coach Mike Burgener. Lipson also talked about the upcoming competition in Colorado and what his expectations are for the event, including his much-anticipated face-off with Josh Everett for the world record for the workout Isabel. Finally, Lipson detailed his future competitive plans and what steps he is taking to qualify for the Games next year.

1hr 5min 36sec

03:05 Vaughn Vernon is an independent insurance agent who came on the show to talk about the insurance needs of an affiliate owner. Vernon talked about different types of insurance and their costs and benefits. He cautioned owners and trainers to be aware of any exclusions in their existing policies and advised owners to join CrossFit’s Risk Retention Group (RRG).

20:50 Dale Saran is an HQ attorney helping with the RRG. He appeared on the show to explain the nature of a risk retention group and how it can benefit its members, and he talked about the current status of the CrossFit RRG. Dale explained how the RRG is approved in all but three states and shared a few new and exciting things that are coming in the near future.

41:41 Josh Everett is on HQ’s certification staff and came on the show to talk about the Olympic Lifting Certification he conducts for Coach Mike Burgener. He also commented on the CrossFit-USAW Open that’s coming up in a little over a week. He gave his thoughts on the competition and explained how he has been training for the event. Everett also talked about the “Isabelle-off” in which he will compete against Dave Lipson to kick off the weekend. A three-time CrossFit Games competitor, Everett closed by explaining what his competitive future looks like in regards to the big show.

1hr 4min 58sec

6:30 Jaimie Harrington and Michael Weyer travel every week with their jobs. While this wreaks havoc with their diets, it allows them the luxury of visiting a large number of CrossFit affiliates. Combined, they have visited over 67 boxes in over 25 different states over the last year. They came on the show to talk about their experiences and what it’s like to be able to visit so many boxes. Between the two of them, they have thrown down WODs in small garage gyms, large-scale operations and everything in between. They discussed some of their favorite affiliates, what kind of receptions they have received and what it means to establish relationships with CrossFitters all over the country.

25:45 Bill Grundler owns CrossFit Inferno and was one of the commentators at the CrossFit Games this past summer. Last week, Bill had the good fortune of being able to travel with a team of well-known CrossFitters who visited different boxes with HQ’s Dave Castro. The entire trip and all their WODs were filmed for future release in the CrossFit Journal. Bill broke down the trip day by day and explained what the WODs were like and who was competing. In a special moment, Bill described what it was like to visit the birthplace of CrossFit: the original HQ in Santa Cruz, Calif. He also attended Rob Orlando’s Strongman Seminar and shared his take-away from the informative sessions.

1hr 7min 30sec

3:45 Scott Zagarino is the founder of the Fight Gone Bad fundraiser events. He came on the show to talk about the Fight Gone Bad 5 event that’s scheduled for Sept. 25. Scott detailed the creation and history of the event and described how they’ve been able to raise over $1 million for charities. He explained how the event works and described ways affiliates and the average CrossFitter can get involved and help. Scott also shared what it’s like to have veterans or cancer patients know people care and want to help them.

32:15 Coach Mike Burgener owns Mike’s Gym, a regional training center for USA Weightlifting. Coach B. has been instrumental in helping coordinate things between CrossFit and the USAW for the upcoming CrossFit-USAW Open coming up on Oct. 1 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Burgener gave his thoughts on the event and also gave advice for athletes preparing for the competition. He talked about the rules and named several athletes he feels will do well at the competition. The father of top U.S. lifter Casey Burgener also talked about Team CrossFit, which is a competitive Olympic weightlifting team.

59min 24sec

9:45 CrossFit Games Masters champion Laurie Carver came on the show to share her thoughts on the weekend at the Home Depot Center. She talked about how she prepared for the Games this year and described her athletic background and her daily schedule as she trains people at Northwest CrossFit. Not content to rest on her laurels, Carver is preparing to compete at sectionals in the 2011 Games season.

30:10 Rob Orlando is a busy man these days, but he found time to come on the show to talk about all his projects. Not only does he own the successful affiliate Hybrid Athletics, but he’s also going to start presenting Strongman Seminars around the country. Rob explained why CrossFitters should use strongman exercises and how they’re beneficial, and he went on to detail the ups and downs he’s experienced as an affiliate owner. Rob is also preparing for the CrossFit-USAW Open coming up in October in Colorado Springs. He gave his thoughts and impressions on the hybrid competition that will see CrossFitters competing in a judged Oly-lifting event and a triplet.

1hr 1min 29sec

After reading a question and answer from Coach Mike Burgener’s site, Justin outlined a new iPod app that allows you to track your WODs on an iPhone.

12:00 Patrick James is your normal CrossFitter, but he has seen amazing results since starting the program a few short months ago. He accepted a challenge from his CrossFitting son Michael and has been hitting it hard at CrossFit Peachtree City ever since. He came on the show to talk about his mission to lose 120 lb. and his incredible results so far.

29:10 Ryan Moody is a trainer at CrossFit 801, and he’s also the current world record holder for a standing box jump. Moody came on the show to talk about the training that helped him hit a PR 60-inch box jump, and he explained how he has used this accomplishment to motivate kids. Moody has overcome incredible adversity in coming back from a series of injuries, and the world record holder uses his story to inspire others.

46:30 Adam Neiffer is the owner of CrossFit Fort Vancouver. His affiliate recently won the 2010 Affiliate Cup Challenge by outperforming the rest of an incredibly deep pool at the Home Depot Center. He detailed his affiliate’s selection process for the team and talked about the team’s preparation and training leading up to the competition. Neiffer also shared his thoughts on the entire Games weekend and what it felt like to walk away with the highly coveted title “Affiliate Cup champions.” Apparently winning the title has motivated all the members of his box, and every athlete shows up to every WOD with his or her A game as a result.

1hr 9min 8sec

29:55 Erin Cafaro won an Olympic gold medal in the women’s eight in Beijing. She talked about her Olympic experience and what it was like to stand atop the podium. Erin described her athletic background and how she is relatively new to the sport of rowing, as well as how CrossFit helped her make up ground on more experienced rowers. Erin also helps with the Rowing Certifications, so she explained the format of the cert and gave some tips for CrossFitters looking to improve their skills on the erg. Erin also detailed what’s next for U.S. rowers.

1hr 1min 41sec

5:45 Ben Abruzzo is the co-owner of CrossFit Albuquerque, but he’s also raising awareness and money to help find a cure for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Ben explained a little about this deadly and relatively unknown disease, and he talked about a WOD he’s organizing in hopes that affiliates and CrossFitters will complete the WOD and donate money on Aug. 28. The WOD is in memory of Ben’s son “Bugaboo,” who lost his battle with SMA in 2005. Ben talked about the website where people can get more information and even donate to the cause.

16:50 Pam Robles and Dave Lombardo came on the show to give an after-action report on the CrossFit event that was part of the California Firefighters Summer Olympics. They explained how the event went smoothly with the help of Jason Khalipa and other experienced trainers, and Dave gave a rundown of the individual competition that consisted of four WODs. He listed the top three finishers in both the men’s and women’s divisions, and he did the same for the team competition that took place the day after the individual event.

44:15 Rick Adams is the CEO of USA Weightlifting and has put together the USA Weightlifting/CrossFit Open Event that will take place in early October. Rick explained how this event took shape from its first conception to sitting down with Dave Castro and Mike Burgener in order to plan it. Rick explained how the format of the event will go and what the actual competition will be. He talked about the intriguing idea of Oly lifters adding a CrossFit WOD to their competition and CrossFitters adding an official Olympic lifting competition to their WOD. Rick also explained what’s on the horizon for the United States when it comes to international weightlifting competitions.

1hr 8min 12sec

2:20 Valerie Mackenzie Voboril came on the show to talk about the training that helped her earn her third place spot at the 2010 CrossFit Games. She discussed the difference in her performance/competition from last year since she didn't get to finish the event after the first WOD to this year where she fought hard, especially in the last four events, and secured a place on the podium. She explained what her diet consists of and how she has had to experiment with different tactics to find what works best for her body. Valerie talked about her training schedule and how she also trains her mind to attack each WOD with the proper mindset. She explained the ups and downs of the weekend of the Games as she experienced them.

30:35 The World's Fittest Female, Kristan Clever, came on the show to talk about her experience at the Games this year. She talked about the expectations she had for herself and how she handled being a heavy favorite to win. She talked about the last three events and what it was like to wait in the seclusion room to then be told 30 seconds before the workout started what it was that she would be doing. Kristan talked about placing either first or second in eight of the nine events and she also talked about coming from behind to win after an unfortunate incident with a wheelbarrow. She talked about what new and different twists her training will take on as she prepares for next year's Games.

1hr 4min 7sec

1hr 16min 29sec

3:15 Justin Bergh came on the show to briefly talk about all the things that went into making the 2010 CrossFit Games happen. He thanked all the volunteers and judges who worked tirelessly the entire weekend, and Justin talked about his experience and the athletes and their performances. He also passed on some positive feedback the Home Depot Center personnel had about the type of attendees who came to watch the Games.

18:00 Rich Froning Jr. just placed second at the 2010 CrossFit Games. He came on the show to talk about his experience and explained what it was like to enter the arena to compete against well-known CrossFitters who are featured on the main site on a consistent basis. He walked listeners through his competitive experience of the weekend and gave insight into his strategies and his ups and downs over the course of nine separate scoring events.

44:15 Justin did a product review on Rx Jump Ropes. He explained the origin and design of the ropes Dave Newman created. These durable, fast-spinning and consistent jump ropes will soon be carried by Rogue Fitness. Justin gave a glowing review based on the fact that the rope allowed him to actually do double-unders, which is out of the ordinary for him.

2:29 Marty Cej came on the show to give his insight into how the sport of fitness has changed with time, as well as what spectators can expect this year at the Games. Marty and Justin also talked about several athletes who have a good shot at making it onto the podium, and Marty described what makes the CrossFit community so great.

33:20 HQ’s Justin Bergh has been working feverishly with an army of others behind the scenes to make this year’s Games something monumental. Dangling a few hints, he gave out a detail or two about what type of equipment he has seen volunteers set up at the Home Depot Center. Bergh also gave his thoughts on the way the Games and the athletes have evolved, as well as some of the things that make the event so extraordinary.

49:13 Jake Platt owns Northwest CrossFit, which produced the 2009 Affiliate Cup champions. He talked about the training the members of his team have gone through to prepare for this year’s competition. He explained that this year’s team is completely different from last year’s and evaluated how they stack up against each other. He also gave his thoughts on preparing a team for the unknown and the unknowable.

37:55 Jasmine Dever trains at Front Range CrossFit with Skip and Jodi Miller. She spoke about the impressive winning performance she turned in at the North Central Regional and how the Millers have set up training camps for those athletes preparing for competitions. She also detailed her athletic background and how she found CrossFit, as well as how she has progressed and evolved as an athlete by turning her weaknesses into strengths. Finally, Jasmine commented on her expectations for the Games and gave her impressions of this year’s contest.

1hr 1min 39sec

24:03 Tanya Wagner is co-owner of CrossFit Apex in Souderton, Pa. She placed second at the ’08 Games and was crowned champion in 2009. Wagner came on the show to talk about competing on the Affiliate Cup side this year rather than as an individual. This decision has already paid off, as the CrossFit Apex team won the Central East Regional and will be one of the favorites in L.A.. She talked about the differences between competing on a team vs. going solo, as well as how her fitness has progressed this year even though her responsibilities as an affiliate owner have increased. Wagner went on to explain her mental preparations for competition, as well as what she thinks of the Games being at the Home Depot Center rather than The Ranch in Aromas.

52min 37sec

15:50 Pam Robles and Dave Lombardo appeared on the show to spread the word about the CrossFit event in the California Firefighters Summer Olympics, which will take place this July. Dave gave information on the background to the Olympics and how CrossFit came to be a part of the proud tradition. This will be the first year that CrossFit will be included as one of the 34 different competitive events. Pam and Dave explained how they have been organizing their efforts with the help of CrossFit HQ and assistance from a lot of CrossFitters. The CrossFit event will take place on July 12 and 13.

32:10 Mike Moody is what he likes to call the “caretaker” of CrossFit Fort Benning. He explained the history behind the non-profit military affiliate and the process one would need to go through in order to establish such a box. He gave details on how his affiliate operates, where they acquired their equipment and what he gains from this labor of love.

55min 47 sec

2:10 Michelle Kinney is a trainer at CrossFit Bartlett, and despite being fairly new to CrossFit, Michelle made a statement by winning the Southeast Regional and qualifying for the 2010 CrossFit Games this summer. She spoke about dialing in her nutrition and the way she programs her two-a-days. She also detailed her preparations heading into the regional and the things she will focus on for the final weeks before the Games.

24:35 Damon Stewart owns Wasatch CrossFit with his wife Priscilla. Damon talked about the learning experiences he’s had since opening his affiliate and some of the successful things he’s implemented. Damon spoke about the marketing he employs and which media choices have proven the most effective. He explained his philosophies about his website and how important the right image is for his business.

47:47 Bayou City CrossFit owner Vic Zachary recently punched his ticket to the Games with his first-place finish at the South Central Regional. Vic talked about his athletic background and why CrossFit is the perfect fit for him, his diet and programming, and his final preparations for the Home Depot Center. Vic also gave information on a fundraiser his affiliate is doing called Perseverance Through Hardship: 57 reps for Texas Children.

1hr 10min 3sec

4:20 Chris Cooper is president of Catalyst Fitness in Ontario, Canada. He came on the show to talk about how he has successfully used CrossFit to help athletes who are battling multiple sclerosis. Chris recently wrote a CrossFit Journal article (Rewiring the Body) about how CrossFit has helped rewire and create new motor pathways in people with MS, and he detailed what types of challenges he creates for his special athletes. Always researching some aspect of fitness, Chris also talked about a study they’re about to conduct on kids with Type 1 diabetes.

26:22 Ashleigh Moe is a trainer at Mt. Baker CrossFit. She came on the show to talk about the Northwest Regional, where she took first place overall. She detailed the strategies she used at the competition and shared her thoughts and feelings about the weekend. She talked about her athletic background and also explained how she prepared for the regional and what her training will look like as the Games draw closer.

52min 28sec

3:30 Tony Blauer is the owner of Blauer Tactical Systems and creator of the SPEAR System (Spontaneous Protection Enabling Accelerated Response), and he came on the show to talk about the training camp he’ll be conducting in August. He detailed what last year’s camp was like and how his business has changed with his relocation to California. Tony also talked about the mini-camps he conducts on a variety of subjects around the country, and he commented on the parallels he sees between mixed martial arts and the sport of CrossFit.

40:18 Matt Chan owns CrossFit Verve in Colorado with his wife, and he recently won the North Central Regional. Matt talked about the training strategy he’s employed this past year and how his discipline paid off. As he heads into the Games, Matt has a specific plan for training and diet, and he also gave an update on his affiliate and why he has a waiting list for new members.

1hr 6min 6sec

32:32 Bill Henniger, owner of Rogue Fitness, was the director of the Central East Regional held in Logan, Ohio, on May 8 and 9. He came on the show to talk about the weekend and what goes into putting on such an event. Bill spoke about his programming and what the experience taught him for next year. He also touched on the business side of Rogue Fitness and how it’s a priority for him to create jobs and keep manufacturing in the U.S. Finally, he gave a sneak peak at what’s next for Rogue Fitness.

2:35 Justin began the show with a rundown of the regionals that took place last weekend and which competitors qualified for the Games. He also read an e-mail from Justus Norgard, who talked about the Firefighter Olympics that will take place this summer.

8:13 Patrick Burke owns MBS CrossFit in Broomfield, Colo. He came on the show to talk about the testing he recently did at IMG Academies with a group of CrossFitters invited by CrossFit Games sponsor Under Armour. He explained the tests and what they were for before describing how he flew from the event in Florida to his regional competition in Colorado. Pat placed third at the North Central Regional and will be going back to the Games after an eighth-place finish in 2009. Burke talked about the regional competition and how he thinks the North Central event compares to some of the other regionals taking place around the world.

35:05 Peter Egyed owns CrossFit Fury in Goodyear, Ariz. Swimming in a very deep talent pool at the Southwest Regional, Egyed earned a trip back to the Games, where he will be one of only a few athletes who have competed in all four editions of the annual event. Egyed talked about his diet and training and how he’ll prepare for L.A., then explained how he programs for his affiliate. He described how he introduces newcomers to his affiliate and how he’s managed to double the amount of monthly sign-ups he gets.

57min 58sec

08:50 John Brown owns CrossFit Agoge with his wife Kelly. As one of the certification trainers, he spoke about why an affiliate owner or teacher should attend a CrossFit Kids cert. John also explained how his affiliate has grown over the years from a garage gym to a fully equipped box. John finished by talking about his participation in the recent North Central Regional competition. Conner Martin talked briefly about growing up with CrossFit and how he considers it his sport. He’s set a challenging goal of winning the CrossFit Games next year, but he plans on taking the necessary steps to do so. David Zink owns CrossFit Thin Air with his wife, and both attended the certification. He spoke briefly about what he found most valuable at the two-day event.

31:54 Lisbeth Darsh explained what she does for HQ and how running the Affiliate Site is a full-time job. She gave great advice for affiliate owners about what type of Web site to use and how different affiliates have attracted more traffic to their site. She also explained how affiliates foster culture and community online. Darsh went on to talk about the affiliate spotlight, the affiliation process and the number of affiliates worldwide. Finally, she gave an update on her affiliate, CrossFit Watertown, and how she chooses great trainers to help her run the business.

5:17 Monique Ames, owner of CrossFit Evolution, came on the show to talk about the mindset of an affiliate owner, and she started off with a description of her experience at FilFest in Miami, Fla. Monique has years of experience as a successful affiliate owner and explained many lessons she has learned through trial and error. She believes success in today's economy requires an affiliate owner to be flexible, and she gave several examples of how to get ahead in the current financial conditions.

38:08 Dave Castro, CrossFit Co-Director of Training, started the interview by mentioning the sad passing of CrossFitter and Games competitor Amanda Miller. The 2010 CrossFit Games will be held at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles due to county permit restrictions in Aromas, and Dave explained how he investigated several places to find the best venue to accommodate both athletes and spectators. Dave described the new location and what he envisions for this year’s Games, which will be streamed live online for free. He also talked about the next stage of qualification kicking off this weekend, with several regional events scheduled.

1hr 1min 57sec

5:29 Tony Budding explained how he visited CrossFit Avalanche while vacationing in the Lake Tahoe area. Tony was impressed with the culture owners Travis Weaver and Myles Lewis have fostered in their box, and he believed others could benefit from their story. Budding facilitated a radio interview, and Lewis talked about the business in general and how it has grown since affiliating. He described some keys to success and how the pair has created a culture. Lewis went on to explain the programming emphasis and where the partners plan on going in the future with their affiliate. Weaver commented on their partnership and how they work in tandem to create a seamless experience for their athletes.

39:57 Northern California Sectional winner Laurie Galassi came on the show to talk about her amazing performance at the competition. Galassi shared what it was like to compete at the largest sectional and how she prepared for the event, how she approached each WOD and how she managed her diet. Laurie commented on her gymnastics background and how she is a perfect fit for CrossFit, then explained how she will be preparing for the Southwest Regional competition.

53min 35sec

2:35 Nicole Carroll of CrossFit HQ came on the show to talk about the Coaches Prep Course, a recent addition to CrossFit’s seminar and certification offerings. Carroll explained what’s covered during the two-day seminar and mentioned that it was created after trainers expressed their desire for an intermediary step between Level 1 and Level 2 certs. Nicole also talked about the international accreditation process CrossFit is undergoing through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and how the Level 2 certs are currently on hold as they’re brought in line with ANSI standards. She explained how the certifications are always changing and evolving to produce better trainers, with one addition being the test that is now given at the end of Level 1 Certs.

30:15 Zach Even-Esh is the owner of Underground Strength Coach/CrossFit Underground. In his entertaining style, he talked about how he went from teaching school for 11 years to coaching and training athletes full time. Zach talked about the need to have the right mindset as an affiliate owner and explained how he constantly feeds his mind and strives to improve in every aspect of his life. According to the man from Dirty Jersey, this approach spills over into owning an affiliate.

1hr 1min 34sec

3:49 Chris Michelmore placed 20th at the Northern California Sectional, barely earning a berth in the regional competition. He spoke about his preparation for the event and how he found the time to train in a packed schedule. He also talked about the mental aspect of competing in the largest qualifier and explained the strategies he employed throughout the competition

23:28 Adrian Bozman came on the show to talk about the new Coaches Prep Course that was implemented two months ago. First of all, he explained what the weekend is like and what one would expect to gain from the seminar. Adrian also talked about the philosophy behind the course and why even a person training out of his or her garage would benefit from the curriculum presented. Boz went on to gave his opinion on what “active rest” means on rest days, and he even gave his advice on activities to avoid on rest day. Adrian usually serves as one of the head judges at the CrossFit Games, but he threw on his programmer’s hat and presented a WOD he would program for the Games if he had the opportunity.

43min 07sec

3:16 CrossFit Journal managing editor Mike Warkentin was on hand at the Central Canada Sectional this past weekend. He gave updates and observations on the events, the athletes and their performances in the middle of Day 1, then again as the event concluded. Mike was at the 2009 CrossFit Games and talked about how the qualification process has evolved in 2010.

27:00 Ian Kellogg was a volunteer interviewer for CrossFit Radio this past weekend. He gave his impressions of the Virginia Sectional and what it was like to be right in the trenches, so to speak, with the athletes as they competed throughout the weekend.

35:00 Jeff Tincher was one of the organizers for the Virginia Sectional. As a 2009 Games competitor and top 5 finisher in 2008, Jeff was uniquely qualified to organize the event and provide the programming for the WODs. Jeff gave his thoughts on the competition as it wrapped up and offered some insight into what went into planning the event and the WODs. Jeff talked about the performances of the athletes and what he’ll take away from the event.

44:46 Ian Kellogg interviewed three of the athletes live on location at the Virginia Sectional. He was able to talk to the men’s winner, John Steger, and the women’s first- and second-place finishers, Gretchen Kittelberger and Meghan McNally, respectively. Each talked about her preparation for the competition, her strategy and her nutrition for the event.

1hr 1sec

4:05 Lisa Shiu recently won the Ohio Sectional held at the Arnold Classic in Columbus. In the interview, Lisa talked about the atmosphere at the Classic and what it was like to compete at such an exciting venue. She detailed the competition and her experience with the WODs, also explaining her preparation for the event and what her game plan will be for the regional qualifier. Lisa shared a little about who she is outside the garage gym and how that connects to CrossFit.

25:37 It’s been over a year since the boys from Beyondthewhiteboard.com have been on the show, and head programmer Moe Naqvi came back to explain what the Web site does. He discussed how the results-tracking site has grown and changed since its inception and detailed some of the most useful features of the site, also explaining how affiliate owners are using it to build their businesses. Finally, Moe talked about some of the future plans for the site.

1hr 1min 45sec

Justin began the show with a quick rundown of the sectionals that have already taken place and a review of the competitions that will take place this weekend.

2:30 For an affiliate spotlight, Justin visited Canyon CrossFit and talked with co-owner Andrew Garcia at his box in Yorba Linda, Calif. Andrew introduced his affiliate and gave background information about its origins, and he talked about what Canyon CrossFit has done to help promote elite fitness in the community. Andrew went on to discuss marketing methods that have been successful over the past two years, and he also admitted he would do certain things differently if he could have a do-over. Andrew concluded by talking about what the future holds for the affiliate.

15:53 Ingrid Kantola, winner of the Southern California Sectional, discussed her experience at the competition last weekend. She gave a dominating performance by winning all the WODs. Ingrid explained what each WOD entailed and the strategy she used to attack them, and she talked about her training and how addressing her weaknesses helped prepare her for the weekend. Ingrid went on to explain what she’ll do to prepare herself for the regional competition, and she ended the interview by sharing one of her training secrets.

47:24 Justin ended the show by playing The Warrior’s Song by Sean Householder. When you purchase this song, all profits go to the Armed Forces Relief Trust.

53min 37sec

Justin began the show with a quick rundown of the sectionals that have already wrapped up and the competitions that will take place this weekend.

3:09 Ryan Hudson, owner of Central Oregon CrossFit, came on the show to talk about working with a local high-school basketball team. He described selling his idea to the basketball coach and talking him into buying enough equipment to set up a CrossFit box at the school. Ryan detailed the programming he used and the resulting improvements in the team. He documented these gains for the coach, and the improved performances had an impact on other sports teams and the PE teachers at the high school. The success with the basketball team has now spilled over to create success for Hudson’s affiliate.

31:15 Justin interviewed several athletes on location throughout the Utah/Nevada Sectional, giving listeners a chance to be a part of the action before and after each WOD. Due to the challenges of recording live at a loud CrossFit event, the audio is not up to in-studio standards.

58min 55sec

Due to the challenges of recording live at a loud CrossFit event, the audio is not up to in-studio standards.

Justin began the show with a firsthand account of the Utah/Nevada Sectional that took place last weekend. He gave a quick rundown of the other sectionals that have been completed, as well as a brief preview of other competitions that will take place this weekend.

12:10 Drew Canavero gave his thoughts and impressions on his winning performance at the Utah/Nevada Sectional. Drew explained his strategy and talked about what he did to recover from one WOD to the next. He also shared some background about himself, detailed how he prepared for the competition, and explained what he’ll do over the next two months to get ready for the regional competition.

43:38 Justin interviewed several athletes live on location throughout the sectional competition, giving listeners a chance to be a part of the action before and after each WOD.

1hr 28min

Host Justin Judkins began the show with a quick rundown of the sectionals that have already been contested and gave a preview of the upcoming competitions.

5:34 Former Binhampton University soccer player Patrick Skinner found CrossFit like so many others: by searching for workouts online. Patrick described his journey from college athlete to CrossFit sectional competitor, detailing how his fitness level has changed since finding CrossFit. Patrick CrossFits at his own garage gym and shared tips and advice for prospective and current garage-gym owners.

21:32 Jon Lyon was a tight end for the University of Washington when he was younger, and his workouts were focused only on power and speed. Since finding CrossFit two years ago, he hasn’t looked back. Jon described the difference between his CrossFit experience and his days as a college athlete. He’ll be competing in the Washington Sectional this weekend in hopes of qualifying for the 2010 CrossFit Games this summer, and he shared how he’s been preparing for the sectional.

32:45 Jorge (J) Perez came on the show to give his impressions on FilFest 2010, which took place this past weekend in Miami, Fla. Jorge talked about the atmosphere and his favorite presentations, as well as the WOD all the attendees completed on the beach. Coach J explained which changes he will implement in his box based on what he learned in Miami. His gym, CrossFit Blueprint, has seen amazing success since opening last November. He talked about getting his box started and the community that he and his partners have tried to foster.

56min 13sec

2:14 Tanya Wagner is the reigning CrossFit Games champion, and she also owns CrossFit Apex with her husband Josh. Tanya came on the show to offer a sneak peak into her upcoming FilFest 2010 presentation, a speech titled “Firebreathing Success.” She also talked about competing in the CRASH-B World Indoor Rowing Championships held recently in Boston. She turned in a 2K time of 7:25 and gave an account of her experience, along with some great rowing technique tips.

27:00 As the owner of CrossFit Cookeville and CrossFit Faith and the head strength and conditioning coach for the Tennessee Tech University Golden Eagles, Chip Pugh is busy, but he was able to come on the show and discuss how he uses CrossFit to enhance his athletes’ performance. Chip talked about his journey as a believer in the CrossFit methodology, explaining how CrossFit isn’t just an exercise program but a way of life. To give back to the community, Chip created the unique website CrossFit Faith.

52:16 Justin ended the show by reading an essay from CrossFit Verve owner Matt Chan about what CrossFit means to him and how hard it is to express that to a stranger.

55min 54sec

2:50 Just last weekend Miranda Oldroyd of CrossFit 801 attended the CrossFit Certification Trainer Summit in San Diego. She described her experience during the weekend and talked about the presentation the subject matter experts (SMEs) gave to the trainers, explaining how the trainers learned more about the SMEs’ role and how it coincides with theirs at CrossFit certs. Several experts gave the group advice about public speaking, and then the trainers hit a WOD, of course. Miranda will compete at the Utah/Nevada Sectionals Feb. 27-28 in Ogden, Utah, and she described her preparations for the big event.

27:57 Justin played a clip of John Durant talking about eating a “caveman” diet on The Colbert Report.

34:45 Gale Yocom, owner of CrossFit Strong in Dallas, has developed a website that allows him to document and track everything about the athletes at his affiliate. His website is called CrossFit Tracker, and Yocom detailed the features and benefits of the site. The web-savvy affiliate owner explained how the site has helped him build and maintain an active, interested community, and he believes it’s helped his affiliate succeed. Gale also recalled the process of starting his affiliate in a two-car garage and growing into an 18,000-square-foot building. Like any trainer, Gale is proud of what his athletes have accomplished, and he explains how their success pushes him to excel every day.

1hr 3min 29sec

Host Justin Judkins began the show by reminding former elite and college athletes to contact him if they have made CrossFit their new avenue of competition.

5:14 Affiliate owner Justin Berg (CrossFit SS) recently joined the CrossFit Games staff as Assistant Director, and he came on the show to speak about the responsibilities associated with this position. Justin has an extensive background in sports management, and he discussed how he is using his unique experiences to enhance the way the Games will run. According to Justin, the future of the Games is very bright and CrossFitters can expect this year’s event to trump last year’s fantastic competition.

32:40 Jeff Martin and his wife Mikki founded CrossFit Kids and CrossFit Brand X, and Jeff will be at FilFest 2010 to speak about working with diverse populations. For those wondering what FilFest is all about, Jeff talked about the gathering and how he has walked away with ideas that had an immediate impact on his business. Jeff also talked about the CrossFit Kids program, the certs and how affiliate owners are able to use the training to add a new dimension to their affiliate—and their bottom line. Jeff concluded by explaining the lesson plans CrossFit Kids makes available to home schoolers, P.E. teachers and health teachers.

57min 50 sec

Justin began the show by asking former elite and college athletes to contact him about appearing on future shows to talk about making the transition to CrossFit.

7:22 Ben Crook trains at Ute CrossFit with Tommy Hackenbruck and is preparing for the sectional competition coming up next month. He talked about finding CrossFit and what it’s like to train every day with one of the top Games performers. Ute CrossFit recently held a contest to prep athletes for sectional competition, and Ben shared a little about that experience before detailing his diet, his training and how he will tweak things heading into the upcoming competition.

27:35 Tommy Hackenbruck placed second at the 2009 CrossFit Games and is the owner of Ute CrossFit. As one of the top five finishers from last year, he won’t have to compete in sectionals and regionals, and he believes that gives him certain advantages. Tommy discussed his diet and the things he has been trying to improve in his training last year. As a competitor and trainer, Tommy is able to offer special advice to his athletes as they prepare for sectional events, and the recent competition at CrossFit Ute gave Hackenbruck an interesting perspective on programming CrossFit events.

1hr 2min 30sec

Justin began the show by reading two e-mails he received from listeners this past week.

5:00 Kelly Starrett, a doctor of physical therapy, owns San Francisco CrossFit with his wife Juliet. He also conducts the incredibly popular CrossFit Movement and Mobility Certifications. Kelly spoke about the certs and gave information about the topics covered and how they benefit CrossFitters and trainers alike. He also discussed a different certification he’s putting together as an additional resource for those working to recover anatomical function. “K-Star” detailed how you can sign up and, as always, shared some great information on how to properly warm up in order to avoid injury.

34:06 Chris Spealler is a top HQ trainer and the owner of CrossFit Park City. He recently went to India and visited Sri Ram Ashram, an orphanage outside of Haridwar, India. Home to 65 abandoned children, the orphanage has a CrossFit program courtesy of Rashmi Cole. Chris talked about his experiences on the trip and how the kids who call the ashram home have taken to CrossFit. Speal spent three days with the young athletes and trained one young man to be a better trainer so the kids would continue to have good coaching after Chris returned to Utah. One of CrossFit’s smaller athletes, Chris is nevertheless a top performer, and he gave his thoughts on whether or not fitness is relative depending on a person’s size and body type.

1:58 Wes Harper owns CrossFit Garage in Woodstock, Ga., and on Feb. 6 and 7, his affiliate will host the Garage Games 2010. Wes came on to talk about the event, and he discussed the different levels of competition designed to give beginner, intermediate and advanced CrossFitters a chance to showcase their talents. He gave details on prizes, cost, number of applicants and how you can get signed up.

17:22 Monique Ames owns the thriving affiliate CrossFit Evolution in Central Florida, and she talked about what it takes to create success. Exciting things are happening at her box, and she detailed the programs they use and how and why they change them constantly. She gave advice to affiliate owners based on what she has seen and experienced over the past three years of being in business, and she described the mindset necessary to succeed in a difficult economic climate. Monique will be speaking at this year's FilFest, and she and several of her athletes are training for CrossFit Games Sectionals in spring.

57min 32sec

1:32 Coach Glassman started off by talking about the CrossFit 101 seminars he conducted over the course of the last year. He mentioned several affiliates where he stopped and established relationships with CrossFitters, and he talked about how those interactions have influenced him to really focus on finding ways to help affiliate owners be more successful. Coach went on to comment on the unique relationship between the online or virtual CrossFit community and the real-world side of the business that’s characterized by seminars, the Games, friendships and trainer-client relationships.

Coach believes intellectual rigor and observable, measurable, repeatable results are necessary in any real fitness program, and he explained how CrossFit will soon be the only fitness program that enjoys worldwide accreditation. The gem of the conversation came when Coach detailed how excellence begets excellence and translates into success for an affiliate owner. Always humble, Coach ended the show by thanking the CrossFit community.

2:21 CrossFit’s subject matter experts (SMEs) all bring something valuable to the table in terms of what CrossFitters can learn from them, and Tony Budding has had the privilege of meeting with SMEs from a variety of disciplines. Tony spoke about recently meeting Louie Simmons from Westside Barbell and talked about what Louie is like as an individual. Tony also spoke about meeting with Dr. Barry Sears, creator of the Zone Diet. Tony gave important insight and background information on Dr. Sears and explained why a CrossFitter should start with weighing and measuring food intake in order to increase performance. Tony talked about different perspectives from a variety of SMEs and how the average CrossFitter can use the tools these experts provide to enhance their own experience.

1hr 7min 8sec

8:01 Alena Yancey owns Battle Born CrossFit in Reno, and her affiliate recently hosted a CrossFit Endurance Certification. Alena talked about the cert from the perspective of an attending athlete and explained how her running was transformed over the course of the weekend. Alena detailed how her affiliate was able to host the cert and how Battle Born CrossFit benefited from the event. Yancey closed by sharing her plans for the future, which include trying to qualify for the 2010 CrossFit Games.

23:26 Robert Ord is the owner of Brass Ring Fitness/Brass Ring CrossFit. His specialty is preparing people who want to be special-operations warriors. Rob talked about training the “warrior athlete,” as well as the Full Mission Profile system he uses to set up a WOD. Rob touched on the evolution of Brass Ring Fitness over the years and discussed the methods behind his programming. Rob has been working on an article for the CrossFit Journal, and he gave listeners a sneak peak into the upcoming piece.

51min 43sec

Justin began the show by reading an e-mail he received this past week from someone who’s doing a few fun WODs to commemorate the end of his 20s.

4:09 Pat Sherwood came on the show and discussed how to best prepare for the rigors of competing in the 2010 Sectionals, Regionals and CrossFit Games. In 2009, Pat finished sixth in the Mid-Atlantic Regional and 58th in Aromas, so he shared some training advice that might help an athlete peak at the right time. Pat gave several tips on how to improve weaknesses, and he also talked about what some firebreathers have done to prepare for the Games. Pat reflected on his experience at The Ranch last summer and detailed how he plans to approach the competition schedule this year. As one of the trainers who regularly works Level 2 Certs, Pat discussed what qualities good trainers possess and exhibit, and he gave advice on how one can improve.

25:10 CrossFit HQ Director of Training Dave Castro came on the show to give valuable information on this year’s Sectionals, Regionals and CrossFit Games, also talking about the planning and behind-the-scenes work that started the week after the 2009 Games ended. Dave talked about the qualification process and who is already qualified, and he explained who could participate in the online qualifiers. As part of CrossFit’s increasing popularity, one of the Sectionals will be held at the Arnold Classic in Ohio with the help of Rogue Fitness. Finally, Dave commented on the programming on the 2009 Games and commented on some of the great performances that occurred at The Ranch last July.

Justin began the show by reading an e-mail he received from someone who successfully used CrossFit to train for a marathon, as well as correspondence from Brian R., who had some great ideas for future shows.

6:08 Mark Sisson owns a successful nutrition company and runs the website marksdailyapple.com. As a guest on CrossFit Radio, he spoke about his philosophy and how it aligns with CrossFit. Mark went on to talk about primal living and why a “Paleo” diet is so important, explaining how our genetic makeup is programmed and how we can use that knowledge to our advantage. He discussed inflammation and what effect it has on our health, also giving CrossFitters some tips on how to determine if a study is based on science or not. Finally, Mark shared his opinions on why conventional wisdom has led us so far astray and why grains are so prevalent in our diets.

34:00 James (OPT) FitzGerald won the 2007 CrossFit Games and has taken training to a whole new level. He came on the show to talk about how he individualizes his training for different athletes and maintains a high level of competency in his trainers through a very successful system that has been tried and tested over many years and thousands of workouts. Always looking at providing his athletes with complete support, OPT explained how he adjusts his prescriptions for pre- and post-workout meals depending on the WOD. Unable to compete in the final event in the 2009 CrossFit Games due to injury, OPT shared what happened to him and how he recovered. He talked about the lofty goals he has and how he plans on achieving them, as well as the role one’s mental state plays in training.

Justin started the show by reminding listeners about the Lumberjack CrossFit Memorial WOD and fundraiser being held on Saturday, Dec. 5. For more info or to donate to the families of the Fort Hood shooting victims, click here.

2:30 Affiliate owner and motivational speaker Kyle Maynard came on the show to talk about his involvement in the the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program, which is also supported by CrossFit HQ. After explaining the program and how CrossFit is helping forge elite fitness for Army personnel and their families, Kyle spoke about his role in the endeavor and the impressions he had when a new fitness facility was opened at Fort Leavenworth. Kyle also gave an update on the documentary film that chronicles his MMA career before talking about how his girlfriend, Talia Markham (Miss West Virginia), has taken to CrossFit and the Paleo/Zone diet.

24:14 CrossFit Endurance athlete, trainer and expert Brian MacKenzie explained how he originally figured out how endurance athletes could increase their performance and decrease training time via a controversial new method that was not immediately accepted by traditional endurance athletes. Brian went on to give endurance/CrossFit training advice, explaining how affiliate owners can add a new dimension to their business by offering the endurance athlete a more efficient training program.

Justin began the show by reading some e-mail he received this past week from teachers using CrossFit in their PE classes. The teachers gave feedback and offered tips on what’s working for them, also describing the success their students have enjoyed.

9:45 Nicole Gordon is best known for her gutsy performance during the sledgehammer event at the Games. After viciously smashing her finger, she completed the WOD and had to take a quick trip to the hospital. She made it back in time to continue and eventually finished 49th overall. Nicole talked about the severity of the injury and recalled what she was thinking after it happened. The owner of CrossFit Hampton Roads went on to talk about her training and how she decides which WOD she’ll attack on a particular day. Nicole spoke candidly about her weaknesses and how she needs to tailor her training for next year’s CrossFit competitions. Since May, CrossFit Hampton Roads has been holding a Biggest Loser competition, and as the event nears its end next week, Nicole related some of the benefits the program has provided to her athletes.

36:00 Maj. Dave Clarkson came on the show to talk about the Lumberjack CrossFit Memorial Hero WOD that was designed as a fundraiser for the families affected by the horrific shooting at Fort Hood earlier this month. Of the casualties, four of the dead and 11 of the injured were were members of Lumberjack CrossFit. Terribly, 19 children lost one of their parents that day. Clarkson explained how and when the fundraiser will take place and what CrossFitters can do to support the worthy cause. Clarkson’s wife came up with the idea, and when Coach Glassman and CrossFit HQ heard about it they marshaled their forces to make it happen in a very short period of time.

In memory of those who were killed in the shooting at Fort Hood on Nov. 5, 2009, the show ended with a reading of the names of those brave men and women.

Justin began the show by reading an e-mail requesting the input of teachers who are using CrossFit in their P.E. classes. The listener thought information on successful strategies would help other teachers and affiliate owners alike—especially those who train adults who behave like children.

4:39 David Bowman is a trainer at CrossFit Charlotte, but he’s also one of the world’s top competitors in the Firefighter Combat Challenge. The world championships are going on right now in Las Vegas, Nev., and David is currently first in the grand national standings and the over-40 category. In the interview, which was taped before the competition, David describes how the competition works and how CrossFit training prepares him for it.

31:18 Robb Wolf is the owner of CrossFit NorCal and one of the instructors CrossFitters see at Nutrition Certifications. He talked about his new book that’s nearing completion, as well as the On Ramp program he’s initiated at his affiliate to get new members started off on the right foot both nutritionally and physically. Robb provided the low down on grains and why to avoid them, and he spent some time on post-WOD meals and why intermittent fasting isn’t for everyone.

55min 9sec

Additional reading: Firefighter Combat Challenge and the Definitions of Fitness by Mike Warkentin, published Sept. 1, 2009.

To open the show, Justin read parts of correspondence between him and Maj. Donald Clarkson, EOD Officer, III Corps CBRNE. Maj. Clarkson wrote about the recent tragic events at Fort Hood, where he is stationed, and his comments reflect his own opinions on the incident and not those of III Corps, Fort Hood or the U.S. Army.

3:10 Lisa Ray, HQ trainer and co-owner of CrossFit Flagstaff, spoke about the Level 2 Certifications and the benefits of attaining the designation, as well as how the two-day cert is broken up and what’s expected from the candidates. Lisa talked about the testing phase and gave great advice for anyone striving to get a Level 2 Certification, and she outlined the steps to becoming an HQ trainer. An accomplished athlete who competed in the 2009 CrossFit Games, Lisa also talked about how she programs her own workouts and maintains her elite fitness with her busy schedule.

24:18 CrossFit 801 co-owner and HQ trainer Miranda Oldroyd came on the show to talk about the Why I CrossFit Challenge at her box. Oldroyd described how the challenge came about and how it will work for the next four weeks. Four days into the challenge, Miranda commented on the early results and feedback she’s received from her athletes. An injury prevented Miranda from competing in a regional qualifier for the CrossFit Games, and she talked about her recovery, as well as programming for herself and her affiliate. Miranda went on to share several diet tips she uses to increase her performance.

48min 46sec

1:42 New affiliate owner Kristopher Germain joined us for the second installment in a series where we follow his progress as he starts a new affiliate. Kris updated us on what’s transpired with his affiliate over the last four weeks, covering topics such as finding a space, dealing with potential landlords and zoning issues, and establishing a relationship with municipal officers. He discussed how he plans on getting people in the door and what his price points are. Kris is already seeing increased performance with the athletes he trains, and he talked about the excitement and community that are developing as people start to CrossFit with his help.

33:34 Olympic-lifting expert Sage Burgener came on the show to talk about competing for CrossFit Invictus in the Affiliate Cup at the 2009 CrossFit Games. Sage also talked about the one-day Olympic-lifting seminars she conducts, explaining how the seminars originated and how they’re formatted. Sage went on to offer a little insight as to what it’s like to help her father, Coach Mike Burgener, as he puts on CrossFit’s Olympic Lifting Certifications. Finally, she provided some background info on when she started training and competing, how she trains, and what her plans for the near future include.

58min 20sec

1:41 CrossFit firebreather Gillian Mounsey came on the show to talk about a special event she has organized: she’s going to do 100 muscle-ups in an hour to raise money for Hope for the Warriors. Mounsey explained what Hope for the Warriors is and how it helps U.S. servicemen and women and their families. She explained how her idea was created, who helped bring it to fruition and what CrossFitters can do to help.

18:36 Maj. Don Clarkson runs the affiliate CrossFit Fort Hood. He talked about what it was like to have Jimi L. and Coach Glassman give a presentation to the senior officers at Fort Hood. Operation Phoenix provided $20,000 worth of equipment, and Maj. Clarkson detailed how the gear made it possible to evaluate soldiers doing CrossFit vs. soldiers doing standard army PT over eight weeks. He talked about the results of the study and how they are working toward implementation of CrossFit post-wide in the units at Fort Hood.

49min 27sec

3:57 Affiliate owner Max Shippee and Brittainie De Garbott, wide receiver for the Lingerie Football League’s L.A. Temptation, both came on to talk about how Shippee uses CrossFit and CrossFit Football to get beautiful athletes in peak condition. De Garbott talked about the league and how her performance has increased since she started CrossFitting, also detailing the before and after of her first WOD.

32:46 GSX CrossFit owner Jeff Tucker explained what it’s like to travel overseas and represent CrossFit at different certifications. The gregarious Texan talked about the global community and the hospitality he enjoys on the road. Tucker also commented on Gillian Mounsey’s efforts to raise money and awareness for Hope for the Warriors, and the role he will play in the event. Always the coach, Tucker gave advice on how to build up to several muscle-ups in a row. Tucker also gave some inside information about his invention, the Iron Beam, that will soon be available to CrossFitters.

1:32 Affiliate owner Alec Hanson commented on a recent debate on the CrossFit Discussion Board in which some people said too many trainers with Level 1 certification only are opening affiliates and flooding the market with boxes. Hanson spoke about how “excellence begets excellence” and why good affiliate owners shouldn’t feel insecure. According to Hanson, the open-source affiliation model is the perfect way to allow a business owner to succeed. He also offered some great advice on how affiliate owners and CrossFitters in general can increase their fitness and knowledge.

20:03 Steve Richards of CrossFit 2260 gave his opinion on the argument that too many affiliates are ruining the CrossFit brand. A firefighter in Arizona, Richards talked about how he has successfully implemented CrossFit as a 14-week course taught at the academy. According to Richards, the amount of injuries went down drastically since implementing CrossFit, and he detailed the process of getting CrossFit installed as the academy’s preferred method of producing fit firefighters. For anyone looking to have CrossFit implemented into programs for LEOs, firefighters and even corporations, Richards’ advice is invaluable.

48min 8sec

2:00 Maj. Maxwell talked about a new U.S Army initiative that goes hand in hand with CrossFit and Operation Phoenix, as well as the box that’s being created at Fort Leavenworth with the help of the Glassmans, the army, Operation Phoenix and Rogue Fitness. He commented on the equipment drop that was made at Fort Hood and the one coming soon to Fort Leavenworth, explaining how CrossFit is becoming a part of the army’s PT program. Finally, Maj. Maxwell talks about the effects of having Greg Glassman give a presentation to army officers.

24:51 Kristopher Germain is at the opening stages of starting an affiliate. He came on the show for the first of a multi-part series where CFR will follow his progress as he documents his ups and downs on the quest to create a successful affiliate. Kris talked about the first steps one needs to take to get an affiliate: the essay, the fee and other necessities when submitting an application. He answered questions about getting insurance, building a web page, finding a space and establishing a relationship with the city.

58min 2sec

2:08 Jake Platt talks about the culture he tries to foster at his two affiliates in Washington state. He explains how he keeps track of 500 members every month and discusses how and why he does his programming a month at a time. Jake also talks about why he places a lot of emphasis on strength-biased programming and where he will be taking his affiliates in the future.

29:39 Rob Orlando is a successful competitor in strongman competitions and the owner of Hybrid Athletics. He finished 22nd at the 2009 CrossFit Games. Rob discusses the philosophy behind creating his affiliate and how he’s continually striving to produce athletes who are incredibly strong CrossFitters. He explained why he likes to include strongman movements in the WODs and how his training and diet have changed and affected his performance since finding CrossFit. The strongman based in Connecticut also talks about the video 100 Body Weight Squats, in which he squats 200 lb. 100 times in a row.

54min 6sec

2:40 Josh Wagner, who owns CrossFit Apex with his wife Tanya, is a high school P.E. teacher in Pennsylvania. Josh and Justin spoke about the epidemic of obesity that our nation's youth are up against. Josh talked about using CrossFit programming in his classes and how the students have responded. He also explained how the other teachers in his department are starting to adopt his unique training methods. He describes the results and the effect that it is having on the students.

25:40 Adrian Bozman is one of the trainers for HQ. He talked about the best approach to take when starting CrossFit. Adrian gave great advice and insight into how to be patient and smart as people approach the WODs for the first time. He discussed ways that a trainer can help newcomers get off to a good start. He also talked about the fundamentals for doing a proper squat and gave cues that one could use to help overcome mistakes and bad habits.

53min 35sec

2:14 Jim Baker, is a 62 year old trainer and co-owner of CrossFit Santa Cruz Central, who has specialized in training people that are between the ages of 55 and 87. He talked about his own training as an older athlete and about training others that are older. His clients are looking for independence from caregivers rather than elite fitness. Jim also talked about the early days of CrossFit and what it was like to have Coach Glassman as his trainer. He also talked about how CrossFit has evolved since he started 11 years ago.

24:45 Chuck Carswell is one of the trainers for HQ. He talked about what he foresees CrossFitting through two or three decades will look like. He answered the big question of "Why CrossFit when you're older?" Chuck talked about the older clients he has worked with and how he has helped them meet their goals. He gave instruction, in great detail, as to the proper way to handle a cheat meal.

52min 55sec

2:00 Marty Cej, a Financial Analyst for BNN, talked about his background and what he conjectures will happen with CrossFit in the future. Marty gave his insight into the business of CrossFit. He also helped cover the 2009 CrossFit Games and he talked about his experience of covering the Games, but also where he sees things heading in the future. Marty talked about the response he got when he did a story on Coach Glassman and CrossFit on BNN.

45min 59sec

2:09 Analisa Naldi, trainer at F.I.T./CrossFit Los Altos explained what Fight Gone Bad IV is and how their facility is supporting this fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project and Athletes for a Cure. She gave recommendations for ways small affiliates can participate and talked about what their affiliate is doing to get as many donations as possible. Analisa also described their facility and how CrossFit is one of the fitness alternatives offered at F.I.T. She talked about how the Barbell Club overlaps with CrossFit Los Altos and what is offered to clients there.

34:01 Russell Berger, owner of CrossFit Huntsville and winner of the Dirty South Regional Qualifier, talked about how he found CrossFit as an Army Ranger and what three months of following the main-site WODs did for his fitness and performance. He briefly talked about his affiliate. Russell also spoke about his CrossFit Journal article documenting his experience at a Gym Jones Seminar. He went into detail about his impressions and what he thought of the seminar, also pointing out differences between CrossFit and Gym Jones and where the latter falls short in their quest for Elite Fitness.

1hr 8min 41sec

2:33 Herm Blancaflor, who started the "FRAT 30 day Paleo Challenge," gave the history behind the "Challenge" and why he started it. He gave advice for people thinking about starting the Paleo diet. He talked about using the support of the people that are doing the
"Challenge" to find recipe ideas, help you get through tough times, and help you feel part of the community that is striving to live the CrossFit lifestyle and increase their performance. Herm also explained where he plans on taking this challenge in the next few months.

25:48 Kristan Clever, of CrossFit North Hollywood and Fourth place finisher in the 2009 CrossFit Games, talked about her mindset during the Games competition. She talked about how she prepared for the Games and what her diet consists of. Kristan admitted that she should get more sleep
and that she might add certain supplements to her diet. She talked about the game of CrossFit HORSE that she is involved in and what the WOD is for this week.

54min 7sec

02:41 Moe Kelsey, who placed third at the 2009 CrossFit Games, talked about his how he prepared for the Games and the weaknesses he tried to address before his regional qualifier. Moe talked about his training and why he likes to do two WODs a day. He gave tips on how he prepares mentally for a WOD and what he does when his body screams “Stop!” in the middle of the workout. He also talked about the role diet plays in his training.

30:09 Host Justin Judkins briefly had Todd Widman on the show to discuss the Level 1 certifications and give advice on how to get your first muscle-up.

38:38 Jason Khalipa, owner of CrossFit Santa Clara, placed fifth at the Games. He talked about the mental challenges of coming from behind after placing 72nd in the first WOD, a trail run. Jason also discussed his training and diet and explained why the Zone Diet doesn’t work for him.

59min 04sec

26:27 Host Justin Judkins briefly had Jeremy “Playoff Beard” Reed on the show to discuss the current FRAT 30 Day Paleo Challenge and the benefits both men have already realized.

34:31 Todd Widman, of CrossFit Flathead and one of HQ’s top trainers, discussed the trainer WOD that was recently featured on the main site. He talked about the transition he had to make when he went from being a coach to a judge at the CrossFit Games. He also discussed the future of the Games.

53min 50sec

01:15 Lindsey Smith, who placed fifth at the 2009 CrossFit Games, responded to critics who question the claim that the winner of the CrossFit Games should be called "the fittest person on earth." Lindsey thinks the claim is justified and cited her experience as a three sport D1 athlete. She talked about where she trains and how she prepared for the Games competition this year. She discussed her diet and revealed that she ended up cutting short her planned post-Games eating binge. Lindsey also talked about how she balances her personal, career and athletic lives.

29:34 Host Justin Judkins played a clip from an upcoming Journal video with the always provocative Dave Tate discussing motivation and self-esteem issues among athletes.

31:13 Carey Kepler, co-owner of CrossFit Central in Austin Texas, talked about what it took to place third at the CrossFit Games. Consistency is her key to success. Carey talked about how she combines Paleo and Zone concepts in her diet. She records everything she eats in a food log and talked about what she had eaten for breakfast the day the show aired.

50min 59sec

1:15 Charity Vale revealed she decided to compete in the Qualifier for the Games only a month in advance and described her preparation. She divulged her dietary secret: raw milk. Charity said the milk helped her recovery, but she otherwise eats Paleo with a lot of fat. Charity described the five workouts on the first day of Games competition as worse than having all three of her children on the same day. But Charity still managed to finish second.

23:35 Peter Egyed placed sixth in the men’s division at the Games after winning the online Last Chance Qualifier. Peter has competed in all three of the CrossFit Games. He outlined the drastic changes the Games have undergone in their brief history. Peter said many of the international competitors were certifiable firebreathers. Peter discussed his overall strategy and the important role recovery played in his performance. He talked about how the heat in Arizona affects his training and described what made the Games special.

40min 3sec

01:10 Tony Blauer talked about his S.P.E.A.R. self-defense system, why it’s important to CrossFitters, and how Coach Glassman will be a featured speaker at a training camp being held August 14-16 in Virginia Beach, VA. Also appearing at the camp will be John Welbourn, Brian MacKenzie, Kyle Maynard and Freddy Camacho. Tony explained how effective self-defense goes well beyond physical training.

27:33 Justin got the bottom of the FRAT mystery when he caught up with the mysterious and elusive “Jakers”, whose cryptic posts on the main-site have long puzzled “normal” CrossFitters. Jakers explained what FRAT is and how it has evolved, trying very hard to be funny.

35:03 Justin interviewed Tommy Hackenbruck, the second place finisher at the Games and owner of Ute Crossfit. A former middle linebacker for the Utah Utes, Tommy has been power-lifting since he was a teenager, but has only been CrossFitting for a year. Tommy discussed his disappointing performance in the Northwest Qualifiers and how he made it to the Games through the online Last Chance Qualifier. Tommy revealed his diet has changed drastically from his college football years, when he ate just about anything. He said his experience performing under pressure in front of large crowds helped him in the Games. Tommy discussed the behind-the-scenes atmosphere at the Games and the amazing way athletes helped each other.

55min 41sec

01:16 Mike Warkentin of the CrossFit Journal talked about one the most striking stories of the 2009 Games: the remarkable behind-the-scenes atmosphere in the athlete’s warm up area. Egos were checked at the door. Athletes encouraged each other and coached each other. They chatted with organizers and volunteers during the long waits for their heats. The whole scene was quite different from what you would find in college or professional sports.

10:30 Justin interviewed Jake Platt, owner of Northwest CrossFit in Bellevue, WA about the strategy that had propelled his team to victory in the Affiliate Cup. Jake sad the team is especially close knit and members know they can rely on one another.

31:09 Justin caught up with Tanya Wagner, the newly crowned “fittest woman on earth” as she was on her way to dinner at Tony Budding’s house. Tanya discussed how she had moved up from her second place finish last year to win this year. She reviewed in detail her training and diet. Tanya also commented on the remarkable sense of community she had witnessed all weekend.

54min 57sec

One example of that spirit was the gutsy performance of Lee Knight, an athlete who insisted on competing despite medical issues. She explained in an interview with Justin why she was so determined to make it to Aromas.

Justin’s next interview, with Kristen Klever, was conducted in the athlete’s warm up area just moments after she had completed her final WOD. Kristen echoed some of the themes Bingo had touched on earlier. She praised the CrossFit community.

The program concluded with a report from Mike Warkentin of the CrossFit Journal. Mike talked about what had just happened in the final men’s WOD of the day.

Reporter Mike Warkentin provided an update on the latest standings and discussed how the WODs so far had played to individual strengths and weaknesses.

Next up was an interview with two brothers who are the talk of the Games. James FitzGerald is better known as OPT. His younger brother Mike, who is just 22, is known as OPT bro. They work together at James’s affiliate Optimum Performance Training. Justin discussed how it came to pass than five athletes from Optimum Performance Training qualified for the Games and four made it to the finals.

Chief Judge Adrian Bozman discussed judging standards, how judges are chosen, and why one judge is sometimes better than two.

The program concluded with Darrell “Bingo” White discussing how different athletes were tackling an important issue: rest and recovery after five tough workouts the day before.

Reporter Mike Warkentin updated the standings at air time and said hello to Jason Khalipa as he was getting a massage in the warm-up area. Mike and Justin discussed some important trends that were emerging at the Games, including the rise of international competitors and the emergence of centers of excellence. Four of the finalists train at Optimum Performance Training in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Two more finalists train at Boot Camp Iceland.

Justin interviewed Christy Phillips, who was in tenth place among women going into Day 2. Christy said recovery was one her key challenges after the five workouts the previous day.

Justin also caught up with the men’s leader, Tommy Hackenbruck, as he warmed up. Tommy said his experience as construction worker who framed houses had paid off in the sledgehammer event.

Finally, Freddy Camancho of Crossfit One World offered his uncensored opinions on how the Games had grown and what makes them special.

Mike Warkentin of the CrossFit Journal updated the standings and did a brief play-by-play description of the fifth event, a couplet of 30 wallballs and 30 squat snatches.

Justin interviewed Lauren Plumey about how the day had gone for her. Lauren said some of the events played to her strengths, while others were a real challenge.

The program concluded with Darrell “Bingo” White offering some final thoughts. He focused on a key moment: Nicole Gordon (pictured), a competitor who was injured on the Sledge event and taken to hospital, but insisted on returning to complete the day’s workouts. Bingo said she exemplified the CrossFit spirit.

The program featured an interview with Russell Berger, who was one of the early leaders thanks to an outstanding run.

Thor Larsen of Crossfit Copenhagen told the story of he and his teammates raised travel funds so they could compete in the Affiliate Cup.

Justin then interviewed Australian competitor Chris Hogan from the athletes’ holding area. Chris discussed how he got the Games and how he hoped to do.

Moments later, the first event began. It was was a tough 7.2 km trail run. Some sections were so steep that that athletes had to crawl up and down the hills. The next event was a deadlift competition. John Malzner, Jeremy Thiel and Josh Everett discussed the many challenges they faced with little rest between the workouts.

Daryl “Bingo” White adding his perspective by speaking of the electrifying atmosphere in the crowd and the tremendous community feeling he saw everywhere.

A dramatic and unexpected announcement from Games Director Dave Castro: CrossFit Northwest in Seattle has almost certainly clinched The Affiliate Cup on Day One of the competition. The other four teams in the finals on Sunday will most likely be competing for second, third, fourth and fifth places.

A very happy Paul Zavaglia of CrossFit Northwest discussed the strategy his team had used to move into the top position. He said it’s a tight knit team, with four members working together as trainers. The Aromas hills were a challenge because the team is used to doing hill work on city streets.

Darrell “Bingo” White set the scene by describing the festive atmosphere at the Games site in Aromas, CA.

Coach Mike Burgener talked about the role he was playing at the Games by supporting and encouraging athletes. He said he was ready to pitch in with last-minute coaching.

Pat Barber, who finished fourth in last year’s games, discussed his final preparations and how he expected to fare in the workouts that had been announced.

01:12 In a live phone interview from The Ranch in Aromas, California Tony Budding offered tantalizing hints about what to expect, but stopped short of revealing much more than had been posted moments earlier on the Games website. Justin and Tony discussed the role strategy might play in the team workouts for the Affiliate Cup. They also talked about how the individual workouts will reflect the theme of this year’s Games: “The Unknown and Unknowable.”

13:46 Harold Doran is a PhD statistician and CrossFitter who couldn’t resist the temptation of having some fun by crunching numbers to take a shot at predicting which athletes might do well at this year’s games. Harold calculated “a CrossFit ability measure” using a methodology that has some features in common with SAT tests, but emphasized there are many data limitations and possibilities for error. He said that based on his calculations the top male athletes to watch are: Chris Spealler, Josh Everett, Mike Giardina, Rob Orlando and Pat Barber. The top females to watch are: Caity Matter, Gillian Mounsey, Charity Vail, Michele Vieux and Kim Ball.

25:01 Justin interviewed Rob Orlando on his final preparations for the Games. Rob is a strongman who started doing weekly track workouts as training for the Games. He also did something else he hated: burpees.

37:10 Ricky Frausto is former wrestler and Justin is a high school wrestling coach. Both men have competed in collage tournaments that had 8 matches in day. They discussed how experience like that might help athletes, given what’s known so far about year’s Games workouts.

49min 48sec

00:26 With a little more than a week to go until the CrossFit Games, Justin began the show by reading this list of equipment now on site at The Ranch in Aromas, California and available for workouts: 15,000 pounds of bumper plates, 30 rowing machines, 50 barbells, 40 plyo boxes, 50 medicine balls, 12 GHDs, 50 sets of dumbbells, 15 squat/press stands, 25 sets of rings, 50 sandbags, 60 kettlebells, 50 jump ropes and 20 sets of parallettes. Justin wondered what it all meant.

03:45 Justin’s first guest, Jeremy Thiel, placed third at last year’s Games but isn’t sure what to expect this year. Jeremy said the much larger crowds at this year’s Games might change the atmosphere for the athletes. He speculated that the mental game might become more important as athletes try to tune out distractions. Jeremy discussed his preparations, including a recent switch to the paleo diet. Jeremy also spoke about the programs offered at his affiliate, CrossFit Central in Austin, Texas.

28:45 On The Insider Report, Justin said that all competitors at the Games will be required to give urine samples. The samples will be analyzed for performance-enhancing substances at a cost of well over $20,000. Positive tests will erase an athlete’s placing and result in the forfeiture of any prizes.

31:43 Justin’s second guest was Daniel Chase , a high school teacher who has brought a CrossFit approach into his Math classes. Inspired by an article in The CrossFit Journal, Daniel has increased test scores by using Math WODs and competitions based on the CrossFit Games. His students are now excited by Algebra.

42min 54sec

02:05 The program began with a wide-ranging discussion about the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports. Josh Everett, who twice finished in the top three at the CrossFit Games, expressed his support for the recent announcement that all athletes at the Games will be tested for steroids. Josh also discussed his own use of legal supplements. Josh is a college strength and conditioning coach who said he regularly talked with his athletes about the character and integrity issues raised by illegal drug use. Josh also outlined NCAA testing policies and procedures. Finally, Josh talked about his preparations for the Games and disclosed that double-unders are not his strong point. Stressing that he has no inside information, Josh speculated that this year’s Games might include some long-duration events.

23:46 An excerpt from an upcoming CrossFit Journal video featured Jon Gilson of Again Faster making the transition from rowing in the Concept2 erg to rowing on the water.

26:36 Dave Tate, a champion powerlifter, told the surprising behind-the-scenes story of how he came to be associated with CrossFit. He discussed the max effort method and common mistakes made by beginning lifters.

52min 8sec

01:21 The program began with host Justin Judkins interviewing teenage CrossFit phenom Kallista Pappas. Justin is a high school wrestling coach and said he wished his wrestlers had half of Kallista’s heart. Kallista is only 15 years old and has just qualified for her third consecutive CrossFit Games by submitting a video in the Last Chance Qualifier. Kallista is best known for her gutsy performance at last year's Games where she fell and dropped the weight on herself while performing 30 clean and jerks of near body weight. Kallista went on to complete the workout. Kallista talked about how she has attained elite fitness at such a young age and why CrossFit nation inspires her.

26:22 Justin played a clip from an upcoming CrossFit Journal video featuring the food diary of Josh Everett, a top CrossFit Games competitor. Josh discussed his extensive use of legal supplements.

30:37 The program concluded with the story of one man’s journey from bodybuilding to CrossFit. Chris Saliba was a physical training instructor for the Australian Air Force when he first discovered CrossFit. He confessed to being a slow learner. But it ended well. Today Chris is the owner of Coastal CrossFit Queensland.

44min 11sec

03:57 Dave previewed an upcoming CrossFit Journal article by Mike Warkentin entitled “Is Punishment a Dirty Word?” and then offered his own thoughts on the use of “motivational consequences” to get athletes off their butts.


11:40 When Globo gyms masquerade as CrossFit gyms, it’s bad for everyone. Jason Galvan posted on the subject recently on the CrossFit discussion board. Dave moderated a discussion with Jason and Lisbeth Darsh, the CrossFit HQ affiliate director.

32:50 Paul "Apolloswabbie" Eich contributed a “hard fought wisdom” segment on why scaling down workouts can often be the smart thing to do. In a follow up interview, Paul and Dave discussed the importance of intensity.

01:31 Kicking off the show was an interview with Peter Egyed who won a place at the CrossFit Games by finishing first in the Last Chance Qualifier. Peter was disappointed to place 11th at the Great Basin Qualfier. So he welcomed the opportunity to get to the Games by submitting video evidence that he was among CrossFit’s best. Peter talked about the three workouts he completed within 24 hours and how he strategized each one. Peter is the owner of CrossFit Fury.

23:51 Justin previewed an upcoming video featuring world arm-wrestling champion Travis Bagent. He also read an email about the perils of doing burpees at the the side of highway when there are state troopers around..

29:35 Robin Moore, who trains at CrossFit Flagstaff, described how CrossFit has changed his life in five short months. He has lost a tremendous amount of weight, and has improved his health with the help of CrossFit and a Paleo-inspired diet. Robin explained how he is now helping others travel the path he found.

46min 47sec

This special edition of the program featured a look at CrossFit around the world, as seen through the eyes of CrossFit trainers and affiliate owners in Denmark, Australia and Northern Ireland. Dave discovered the CrossFit story is much the same everywhere: explosive growth fueled by passionate people who have drunk the koolaid. No matter what the language, burpies still suck. And nowhere do landlords understand why CrossFit workouts are so noisy.

00:00 - 17:34 A trainer with the very Danish name of Thor Larsen talked about how CrossFit Copenhagen has grown to 550 members. The affiliate operates out of a small space in a former church. It is trying to raise funds to send eight athletes to the CrossFit Games next month.

17:34 - 36:12 Matt Swift, owner of CrossFit Brisbane told the story of CrossFit in Australia. Matt’s website boasts: “We have chalk, we make noise, we know everyone by name, we sweat, we swear, we laugh and we train hard. It is a great place to be a part of.”

36:12 - 52:33 Jonny Smyth of Northern Ireland CrossFit outside Belfast talked about the birth and growth of his affiliate.

52min 33sec

03:23 Stacey Kroon is a trainer at CrossFit Boston who recently won the Northeast Regional Qualifier for the CrossFit Games. Stacey commented on the article that Patrick Cummings wrote after he watched her performance through the viewfinder of his Again Faster video camera. Stacey discussed her mental preparation and the pressure she faced because she led the competition throughout the weekend. Stacey explained how her background in gymnastics and other sports contributed to her development as a CrossFit athlete. The interview concluded with a dietary confession: Stacey loves to bake.

20:24 The Insider Report corrected a slight error in last week’s account of just how brutal the trainer workout was at a recent meeting. Listeners were also to directed to The Affiliate Blog for a listing of summer events, including The CrossFit Ontario Challenge on July l8 in Toronto, Canada.

23:28 In an excerpt from an upcoming video, Kelly Starrett says that athletes with acute injuries need to get their butts back into the gym quickly. In most case, workouts should be modified rather than abandoned. Starrett is the owner of CrossFit San Francisco and a doctor of physiotherapy.

25:29 The program concluded with a discussion of a free workout tracking application called No Scrolls

42min 40sec

03:21: E.C. Synkowski is on the traveling squad of trainers for the level 1 certs. She talked about placing in the top 20% of over 200 women at an indoor rowing competition, using only CrossFit for preparation. E.C. commented on the video of her doing Grace with the men's weight.

25:38: Steve Rakow, owner of CrossFit Ocean City discussed the men and women he’s trained and the differences he’ s seen. Steve is also an attorney who spoke about how CrossFit’s RRG will help protect affiliates and trainers.

38:13: The show ended with an interview with Stephane Rochet, Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of San Diego. Stephane talked about what a difference CrossFit has made to the athletic teams at the university. He explained how he uses CrossFit to foster competition and improve performance. He also offered his insights about training both male and female athletes.

54min 48sec

03:46 
Tony Budding discusses the CrossFit Games: where they’ve been and where they’re going. Among the topics covered were the video submissions for The Last Chance Qualifiers and the growing international interest in the Games. As the Qualifiers drew to a close, Tony talked about highlights, lowlights and lessons learned. He also touched on how the Games and Qualifiers might expand next year.


31:20 Dave interviewed Dr. Barry Sears, author of The Zone. Barry discussed the principles of eating for performance, and various diet strategies for competitive athletes.


51min 10sec

05:56 Terry Laughlin is an expert swimming coach best known for his “Total Immersion” program, which does for swimming what POSE does for running. Terry talked about why he is such a big believer in CrossFit. He discussed why midline stabilization is so important for swimmers, along with squats and deadlifts.

30:43 Craig Patterson is the owner of CrossFit Vancouver, today one of the most successful affiliates. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Craig was the fifth affiliate. At first, he had so little idea what he was doing that he almost went bankrupt. He discussed the school for affiliates he’s establishing and some of the obstacles he had to overcome along the way

51:47 David Leys was one of the faces in many of the early CrossFit videos. He discussed his non-profit organization Awaken Humanity.

1hr 00min 32sec

01:34 Matt Chan was the first guest, discussing his first place performance at the recent Rocky Mountain Regional Qualifier for the CrossFit Games. Matt talked about how he prepared mentally for the competition. He stressed the importance of listening to your body daily in order to reach your peak. Matt also discussed his diet. It became clear that Matt is a busy guy. He revealed how he balances his family life, his work as a firefigher, his ownership of an affiliate and his preparation for the CrossFit Games.

22:45 Justin gave a much too detailed first-hand account of his recent encounter with Pukie. On the Insider Report, Justin discussed the workout level 1 trainers did when they met last weekend in Colorado.

26:43 Mike and Lisa Ray own CrossFit Flagstaff host of this year's Great Basin Qualifier. Mike and Lisa provided a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to put on a qualifier. Lisa discussed her third place finish and what it took to get through the workouts. She also discussed Flagstaff’s 7,000 feet elevation and how it affects athletic performance. Mike and Lisa also spoke about how they are preparing a team to compete in The Affiliate Cup at The CrossFit Games.

48min 31sec

25:06 Kyle Maynard was born with a condition called congenital amputation that left him with limbs that end at the elbows and the knees. But this has not stopped Kyle from competing in sports at high levels and owning an affiliate. Kyle talked about how he competed in wrestling in high school and college. Then it was on to a discussion about how Kyle helped with the special Level 1 certification conducted in February 2008 for disabled veterans from the Warrior Transition Battalion. Kyle talked about the speech he gave during the inspiring weekend. Kyle has always overcome obstacles. The interview concluded with Kyle disclosing his latest venture: MMA fighting. Kyle outlined how he plans to compete in the sport.

51min 07sec

This episode featured coverage of The CrossFit Games Qualifiers. It included an on-the-scene report and a look at nutritional preparation.

00:00 - 13:47 Jason Ackerman, owner of CrossFit Albany was the lead organizer for the Northeast Qualifer. Jason said it was quite a scene in the parking lot of his affiliate, with 240 competitors and more than 500 spectators participating. Jason described two killer WODs, including a 2,000 meter row.

13:47 - 16:10 In a clip from a video, Brian MacKenzie of CrossFit Endurance talked about the importance of technique in developing running speed.

16:10 - 39:46 Dave focused on how diet can be tweaked for competitions like the qualifiers with nutrition expert Robb Wolf. Robb also discussed the importance of nutrition timing. He suggested that there may be a two hour post workout window when carbs can be increased and fats reduced.

This special episode features commentary and observations from host Dave Young, based on his experience as a judge at the Northwest Regional Qualifying Round of the 2009 Games, held May 16, 2009 in Seattle, WA.

00:00 - 27:00 Dave explained how he did his job as a judge.

27:00 - 39:30 Dave wondered if the integrity of the judging could be open to dispute. He wondered why there should ever be compromises on integrity. Dave closed by suggesting improvements to the judging process.

39min 47sec

Editor’s note: Each regional qualifier was run completely by the regional director, who in this case was Dave Werner from CrossFit Seattle. All choices about venue, programming, judging, and scoring were his.

01:43 A special series of audio clips called "The Voices of CrossFit" opened the show. Affiliate owners explained why it is so important to support the CrossFit RRG, a form of self-insurance. Host Justin Judkins announced that CrossFit HQ had contributed $40,000 to the cause. He said affiliates are being asked to contribute $1,000 each and trainers are being asked for $200 each. The money buys an ownership stake in the RRG and a say in how it's run. Most of all it buys protection. Justin said: "If you're sued, the RRG will stand behind you. Guaranteed. We're still about $150,000 short of the $500,000 we need to start the RRG. But we've made tremendous progress is the last two weeks -- raising many thousands of dollars a day. One way or another, we are going to make it." For more information, go to www.crossfitrrg.com

03:36 Jason Leydon is the owner and head trainer at CrossFit Milford, CT. Jason is also on won CrossFit traveling squads. He is a coach at both Level 1 certifications and and with Brian McKenzie's CrossFit Endurance. Jason explained how CrossFit works in conjunction with CrossFit Endurance. He explained how runners can actually improve their performance by running fewer miles. Jason also described the POSE method of running.

26:54 Josh Bunch is the owner of Practice CrossFit and is preparing to compete in the Midwestern Qualifier this weekend. It's something new for Josh, best known as a a CrossFitter whose sport of choice is bodybuilding. He talked about how training and eating for the qualifier differs from preparing for a bodybuilding competition. Josh also talked about the recent video of figure competitor Chastity Stone taking on Caity Matter and Jolie Gentry in a workout.

48min 46sec

This episode was originally labeled episode 66.

00:00 - 16:59 Interview/Matt Stonkus. Matt is a collegiate athlete from Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, who has embraced CrossFit Football as his primary training program since its inception. Matt has realized significant athlete performance gains from his CrossFit Football work and diet, and explains why this program should be adopted by all field sports competitors.

17:00 - 50:46 Interview/Chris Spealler. Dave discusses the most effective warm-ups, stretching, and recovery practices with Chris - a soon-to-be 3-time Games competitor and CrossFit HQ trainer.

The next CrossFit Radio Weekend Edition show airs live on Saturday, May 16th, 2009, at 6PM PDT. The topic will be the NW Regional Qualifying Event for the 2009 CrossFit Games held earlier in the day.

50min 46sec

21:28 Affiliate owners speak out on why they have signed up for the Risk Retention Group (RRG), a form of self-insurance that will safeguard CrossFit’s future.

22:56 Our focus on Regional Qualifiers continued in an interview with Jeff Tucker, the owner of GSX CrossFit. Jeff hosted the Hell’s Half Acre Qualifier this past weekend. Jeff described the emotion and intensity that were so much a part of the event. He also described the WODs and talked about the performances of the athletes. Jeff described an gymnastics station invention that he and his father created. They believe it is perfectly suited for CrossFit. Called the Iron Beam, it was unveiled it at the qualifiers to positive response. Jeff also conducts then Gymnastics Certs and outlined his busy travel schedule in the coming months.

41:12 The Insider Report focused on the changing face of CrossFit. More athletes from other sports and more medical professionals have been seen at certs in recent months. Finally, the Insider questioned the beverage choice of a certain trainer.

44min 54sec

This episode was originally labeled episode 64.

This episode focuses on the Northern California CrossFit Games Qualifying Round with another on-the-scene report.

00:00 - 08:00 Pat Barber, Part 1 - on site for the Nor Cal Games Qualifier.

08:00 - 13:22 An on-the-scene interview with the day’s 1st-place female finisher, Brianne Feudel.

13:22 - 17:20 Pat Barber, Part 2 - on site for the Nor Cal Games Qualifier.

17:20 - 19:25 CrossFit RRG - pre-recorded comments from CF Affiliate owners on the need for such a program, and their personal reasons for participating.

19:25 - 37:08 An interview with Dave Millar, 1st-place finisher in the Southern California Games Qualifications from 2 weeks ago. For this interview Dave is on-site at the Northern Cal qualifications and provides a spectators perspective on the current event.

The next CrossFit Radio Weekend Edition show airs live on Saturday, May 10th, 2009, at 6PM PDT.

37min 8sec

This episode features the first on-the-scene report from a CrossFit competition; the Northern California Qualifying Round of the 2009 CrossFit Games.

00:00 - 17:30 Pat Barber - on site for the Nor Cal Games Qualifier. This segment also includes an interview with the Men’s First-place finisher, Jeff Leonard.

17:30 - 19:35 CrossFit RRG - pre-recorded comments from CF Affiliate owners on the need for such a program, and their personal reasons for participating.

19:35 - 46:46 Dave interviews Steve Liberati from Steve’s Club in Camden, NJ. Steve updates the community on the progress of his CF program for under-privileged kids in his town, and what the help he has received from the CF community has meant to his kids.

The next CrossFit Radio Weekend Edition show airs live on Sunday, May 3rd, 2009, at 6PM PDT. It will feature more on-the-scene reports from Day 2 of the Nor Cal Qualifier with Pat Barber and Dave Millar.

40min 13sec

02:50 Scott Hartley is running less and winning more. He recently won the Masters Indoor Nationals in both he 800 meters and the mile in the M45 category. Much of his training is based on CrossFit. His training log looks quite different from the logs of other runners. Michael, Cindy and Fran are a big part of how he prepares for races. Conrad Schaefer of CrossFit Eaton is Conrad’s coach. He joins the discussion to tell the story of how difficult it was to get Scott to squat. But now it’s paid off, big time.

25:23 There has been some heated discussion lately on the affiliate blog. At issue is the slow response from some affiliates in signing up for the CrossFit RRG. Neil and JJ read excerpts and offer their thoughts.

26:40 Michele Vieux placed fifth at the Southern California qualifiers for The CrossFit Games. Michele discusses how she did it and how important a role nutrition played. Michele is also a trainer at CrossFit Invictus and the owner of Mmmm Good Foods. She talked about running this successful zone meal catering business, how it got started, and where it's going.

49min 07sec

Maggie Dabe-Colby is one of the traveling HQ trainers. She is one of the head trainers for CrossFit Fairfax and just placed third at the Mid Atlantic Qualifier. Maggie spoke about the qualifier and her performance. She talked about training with the likes of Jeff Tincher and also explained his programming. Maggie broke down her training and diet and described what weaknesses she is planning to work on in order to win the CrossFit Games. Maggie also talked about her coaching style and how she tries to motivate athletes to give just a little more.

00:00 - 22:00 Dan MacDougald - retired lawyer and owner of CrossFit Atlanta, talks about the importance of the CrossFit RRG to the health of the community, and how affiliate gyms can contribute to the effort for everyone’s benefit.

22:00 - 27:30 Commentary, “Hard-Fought Wisdom” #2; Dave talks about motivation beyond the numbers.

27:20 - 46:06 Dave interviews Boris Terzic on liking—but not loving—CrossFit. Boris is a Level 1 trainer and self-described “lurker” and has few thoughts about what might be wrong with some of the attitudes in the CrossFit community.

46min 13sec

This episode features the subject of youth involvement in CrossFit.

00:00 - 27:20 Jeff Martin - co-founder (with wife Mikki) of CrossFit Kids. Dave and Jeff talk about the effect of CrossFit challenges on the character of young people, and the benefits to them in their lives outside of the gym.

27:20 - 29:50 Video Clip; Kyle Maynard speaks to the Warrior Transition Battalion in San Antonio, TX.

27:20 - 46:06 Dave interviews Jon Wilson from Pickens, South Carolina, a PE teacher at Pickens High School who started training CrossFit in the school’s PE classes. Jon talks about the potential for a movement in high school Phys Ed toward CrossFit.

46min 13sec

Tyler Weir has created an iPhone application where you can record and broadcast the results of your WODs. It's called “As Rx’d,” and he discussed how it came about and some of the features and benefits. He also discussed how it compares to LogsItAll and Beyond the Whiteboard. Tyler explained how much this application costs and where to get it.

Gayle Jordan is one of CrossFit Radio’s newbies that has been sharing her experience with the CrossFit Nation for the last four months. She updated everyone on her progress since we last heard from her. Gayle had some hurdles to overcome, but she is back on track now. She discussed how close she came to reaching her goal of a muscle-up and her burpee challenge. Gayle talked about attending a Level One Cert and who some of the trainers were that she was able to meet and work with.

50min 13sec

The discussion on coaching styles continued as Robert Ord shared some insights. Robert has trained hundreds of individuals seeking entrance into the Navy’s elite special operations communities. On his website Brass Ring Fitness, he also provides balanced training regimens for those seeking to achieve the disciplined mind and body of the Warrior Athlete. Rob talked about how he uses a Full Mission Profile (FMP) to help train these candidates, and how he uses CrossFit in his programming. He also covered the non-physical aspects of training.

54min 8sec

Russell Bennedetto was also featured on the show. He was one of the newbie CrossFitters that Neil and JJ started following at the first of the year. Russell talked about the goal that he set last time he was on the show and how he wanted to get a kipping pull up. He came close, but the most notable improvement for Russell, besides losing over 40 lbs, is the fact that his cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure have all gone down dramatically. Russell zones religiously and talked about his one cheat day with Gillian at the Barbell Cert. Russell also talked about the Cert and Coach Rippetoe.

Neil and JJ gave an update on final results of the SoCal Qualifier and the Great Basin Qualifier. They ended the show with an insider report of what is coming up in the Journal.

49min 56sec

This Weekend Edition episode features Andy Petranek from CrossFit LA on the subject of CrossFit Basics: What you need to know before you WOD. Dave Young asks Andy to comment on the importance of form and progression, and to give the listener a more in-depth explanation of the information on the Getting Started page of CrossFit.com. Since both Dave and Andy go back a ways with CrossFit, there was also an opportunity for a little CrossFit history at the start of the show just for fun.

56min 33sec

The next CrossFit Radio Weekend Edition show airs live on Saturday, April 25th, 2009, at 6pm PDT.

00:00 - 32:15 Weekend Edition Host Dave Young reveals the story behind the April 3rd CrossFit presentation to the annual conference of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists in Witchita Falls, TX by Greg Glassman, Brian Chontosh, and Mark Rippetoe, coordinated by Lon Kilgore. Kary Mullis presented on the nature of science itself. This was a unique opportunity to present CrossFit principles to the scientific community. The guest is Tony Webster, PhD Exercise Science and avid CrossFitter from Victoria, BC, who was present at the conference.

32:15 - 36:46 Dave Young introduces the concept of “Hard-Fought Wisdom,” a new CrossFit Radio feature presenting unique perspectives on different aspects of CrossFit derived from much experience. Presenters will all have over one year practicing CrossFit and will have a forum for giving others the benefit of what that experience has taught them. This installment talks about the concept of food portioning.

The next CrossFit Radio Weekend Edition show aired Sunday, April 19th, 2009 and featured Andy Petranek from CrossFit LA on CrossFit Basics: Concepts for Getting Started with CrossFit. Andy just finished third overall in the SoCal Regional Qualifiers. Congrats Andy!

36min 46sec

As the winner of last year's CrossFit Games, Jason Khalipa, is known as the Fittest Man on Earth. Jason also owns CrossFit Santa Clara. Jason talked about what he has been doing the past year, how he has been growing his business, planning for his upcoming wedding, and prepping for this year’s Games.

The Fittest Man on Earth talked about his affiliate. He explained how his business has grown to the point that he had to move into a larger space. He recently went to a CrossFit Kids cert, and hopes to incorporate that into his affiliate's schedule. Jason described his marketing methods, and the programming for his box. He defended his position against the rumor that he does the WOD in each of his five classes daily.

53min 43sec

Dave Maxwell is a Major in the U.S. Army and he is doing as much as he can to get CrossFit better integrated into the Military. He is refers to himself as an Affiliate Coordinator rather than an owner. He has recently helped start an affiliate at Fort Leavenworth, which is his second military affiliate.

Major Maxwell first helped establish the affiliate at West Point. He explains the process of starting an affiliate on a military base. He has learned successful techniques when dealing with the upper brass, and shares his experience.

1hr 4min 47sec

Jenni Orr is a Level 2 Trainer and is on the training staff for HQ. She trains at BGI Fitness in Florida. She spoke about her background in dancing and as a cheerleader for the Miami Dolphins. She explained how that helped her by giving her a foundation of strength and fitness. She talked about the work out program that the NFL cheerleaders used to get into shape for their performances, and about how the changes that CrossFit made in her level of strength and fitness improved her dancing ability.

Jenni took 8th place finish at last year’s CrossFit Games, and she is training to do even better this year. She talked about her strengths and weaknesses in CrossFit, which CrossFitters she admires, and which ones she has to watch out for when it comes time to compete. She talked about her coaching, and how she has experimented to find what diet works best for her body.

49min 32sec

Dave Young probes the mind of Kelly Starrett from San Francisco CrossFit on the topic of “CrossFit as Rehab.”

Kelly is a licensed physio-therapist, and he talks about preparing your body for CrossFit, and the appropriateness of engaging in the work while recovering from injury. Kelly speaks to the CrossFitter at large about taking control of their limitations and pain.

57:21

The next CrossFit Radio Weekend Edition show will be Saturday, April 18th, 2009 at 6pm PDT.

Dave Young interviews Bill Henniger, owner/coach of Rogue Fitness, a CrossFit gym and equipment supplier in Columbus, Ohio, on the subject of garage gyms.

Bill Henniger passes on the latest and best advice on choosing equipment for a home CrossFit gym. The information ranges from the top five pieces of equipment to have at home, and extends to finding the best deals on shipping and what equipment you can have on even the tightest of budgets.

1hr 4min 30sec

Justin Triquet is one of the head trainers at Jeannie's Beach CrossFit. He updated the CrossFit nation on the status of his son, who was just born three months premature.

Justin is better known as JroCk on the comment boards. He commented on other well known posting veterans, and detailed what the comment section is for and how it helps to create the community that is CrossFit.

Justin described how CrossFit has changed his life mentally, spiritually, and of course physically. His entire life is completely different now on many levels.

59min 22sec

0:00 Intro
3:15 Searching for Sherwood
4:15 Pat Sherwood
17:30 Crash course in the Zone
38:15 Pat’s Favorite WOD
51:45 Pat’s pick for the 2009 CrossFit Games
57:00 Fat report cards for students

Pat Sherwood is the author of the The Zone Chronicles, and one of HQ’s top trainers. Pat broke down the Zone diet with a basic description of how to calculate blocks, and when and how to increase the fat. He described how he eats while on the road training at Certs. He talked about the pros and cons of the Paleo Diet, and how “The Zone Chronicles” were born.

Pat explained his role at the Certs and what goes into putting them on every week. He answered questions about what people experience and hopefully come away with after attending a Cert. He also discussed his background, history with CrossFit, his training, and how he will be throwing his hat in the ring at the upcoming MidAtlantic Regional Qualifier.

1hr 2min 30sec

The next show will be Friday, April 10th, 2009 at 6pm PDT. The interview will be Justin Triquet (JroCk).

0:00 Intro
3:30 Melissa Byers
56:45 American Council of Exercise Tips for Jumping Rope

Melissa wrote an article in the Journal recently called Zone Gone Bad. The article was ground breaking in that it addressed some very important issues having to do with a not so healthy outlook on eating within the CrossFit community. She says that she received many private responses on top of the public comments.

Melissa explains her reasons for writing this article, what she hoped to accomplish, and what she hopes the “take home” will be for the reader. She also opened CrossFit 603 several weeks ago. She talks in depth about this process, what her programming will be like and how she plans to equip the facility.

1hr 5min 7sec

The next show will be Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 at 6pm PDT. The interview will be Pat Sherwood.

Dave Young interviews Mark Toorock, founder of American Parkour and owner/coach of Primal Fitness in Washington DC.

Mark reveals a lot about the history of Parkour, and what it means to fully embrace Parkour concepts, including being a responsible citizen and a disciplined practitioner. Mark also talks about his travels around the world demonstrating Parkour techniques, and appearances of "The Tribe" in film and television. The picture is of Mark on China’s Great Wall.

1hr 2min 20sec

The next CrossFit Radio Weekend Edition show will be Saturday, April 11th, 2009 at 6pm PDT. The topic will be building the perfect garage gym with the founder of Rogue Fitness, Bill Henninger.

0:00 Intro
3:45 Sally Stade from the original CrossFit Santa Cruz
41:00 Caffeine is a gift from God
43:30 Responses to the diet soda news

Sally Stade is a 62 year old 5'0" woman with who has a 225lb deadlift. She says that Coach Glassman told her that she was his first walk-in. She shares this story and many others about the early days of CrossFit at Santa Cruz.

Sally represents a segment of the population for whom CrossFit is particularly good. She speaks in detail about the impact CrossFit has had on her health and her life. She also shares her specific workout and nutrition regimen.

Last week she joined a group of six individuals for an experiment with Coach Mike Burgener. The challenge was to improve their athleticism using the clean and jerk in one hour flat (this will become a future Journal video series).

51min 20sec

The next show will be Monday, April 6th, 2009 at 6pm PDT. The interview will be Melissa Byers.

0:00 Intro
3:00 Joe Decker, the Guiness Book of World Records “World’s Fittest Man”
50:30 Melissa Byer’s letter to Hang Power Cleans

Joe got his record by completing the following in 24 hours:
Cycling 100 miles
Running 10 miles
Power walking 5 miles
Kayaking 6 miles
Hiking 10 miles
Swimming 2 miles
3000 Abdominal crunches
1100 Jumping jacks
1000 Leg lifts
1100 Push-ups
Rowing 10 miles on a C2
Skiing 10 miles on a Nordic Track
Accumulating 278,000 lbs. of weight lifting

This show explores the differences and mostly the similarities between his style of training and CrossFit. Joe talks about his background as a fat, out of shape shlub, and the specifics behind his transformation into the “World's Fittest Man.”

They also get into specifics on his training and nutrition practices. Joe is very pro-CrossFit, and was invited by Neil to compete in the Regional Qualifiers with hopes of going on to the CrossFit Games.

56min 7sec

The next show will be Friday, April 3rd, 2009 at 6pm PDT.

0:00 Intro
3:15 Tony Blauer
57:00 News showing a link between diet soda and obesity

Tony Blauer is more than just a self defense expert. He has pioneered several systems that have re-defined how the industry teaches personal protection. Several weeks ago Neil stumbled onto Tony’s Facebook page where he found a sample of the new 57 page PDR (Personal Defense Readiness) manual. He immediately invited Tony on the show for a fourth time to speak about it.

Some of the topics we discussed were:
S.O.S. (Select Optimum Strategy), Close Quarter Skills, Submission: Theory and Posture, Feign Fear to Draw Attack, Use Choice Speech to Defuse, The Hand is Quicker Than The Eye, Lead With Speed, Hit in “Threes,” Closest Weapon/Closest Target (CWCT), First Strike Theory, and Stun and Run.

1hr 4min 19sec

The next show will be Monday, March 30th, 2009 at 6pm PDT. The interview will be Joe Decker, the Guiness Book of World Record holder for Fittest Man Alive.

0:00 Intro with Stephanie Aardal
5:45 Nicole Carroll

Nicole is CrossFit's Director of Training. She talks about the CrossFit Certification program, explains the distinctions between CrossFit certification levels, and also what to expect when you attend a CrossFit cert. There is discussion of both the history and recent growth of the program, as well as some tips on finding a cert near you that isn’t sold out.

56min 20sec

The next CrossFit Radio Weekend Edition show will be Saturday, April 4th, 2009 at 6pm PDT.

0:00 Intro
8:30 Nicole Verbrugghe and Fran Mason

The two guests are CrossFit women in their 40’s: Games competitor Nicole Verbrugghe and CrossFit Seattle trainer Fran Mason. They talk about producing high levels of CrossFit proficiency in women, especially those over 40.

Issues discussed include overcoming societal notions about women in athletics and the deeper life benefits of CrossFit training.

56min 42sec

The next CrossFit Radio show will be Sunday, March 29th, 2009 at 6P PDT. The subject will be the CrossFit certification process with guest Nicole Carroll, CrossFit’s director of training.

0:00 Intro
3:50 Dave Young from Gravity Janes
15:45 Jakers’ top posts from his website
20:00 John Welbourn from CrossFit Balboa and CrossFit Football
59:00 No news in the news

Dave Young was the originator of the radio genre for CrossFit. On Saturday, March 28th he goes live with his show again as CrossFit Radio Weekend Edition. Dave talks about his deep history with CrossFit, the old CrossFit Live episodes and his new show.

John Welbourn joins us to talk about his 9 year career as an offensive interior lineman in the NFL. He give incredible insights into the training methods used by NFL players to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

John has gotten together with CrossFit HQ to create and develop CrossFit Football, which will be going live in April. It is intended to be an open source project that will help athletes world-wide train for the specific rigors of the game of football and compete at its highest levels.

1hr 10min 57sec

The next show will be Monday, March 30th, 2009 at 6pm PDT. The interview will be Tony Blauer.

0:00 Intro
3:00 Ricky Frausto from CrossFit Omaha
59:00 No news in the news

Ricky finished in 6th place overall at the 2008 CrossFit Games. Ricky’s background in fitness is extensive. He has a B.S. in Ex. Sci from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He is certified Level 1 CrossFit, CrossFit Run-Endurance, USA Weightlifting Coach and NSCA-CSCS.

He has been wrestling since he was 6. He was a champion wrestler himself, and has helped the University of Nebraska at Omaha win three national wrestling championships using CrossFit principles.

He also gave tips on how he runs his affiliate.

1hr 4min 50sec

The next show will be Friday, March 27th, 2009 at 6pm PDT. The interview will be John Welbourn of CrossFit Balboa and CrossFit Football.

0:00 Intro
3:20 Adriana Grassi from CrossFit Hardcore
59:40 Comments of the week

Ariana Grassi is a true fitness expert. She grew up in Italy where she was involved in dancing, gymnastics and fitness instruction. She moved to the US when she was 21 (found out that accent wasn’t Texan) to pursue a career in fitness and fitness competition. Although successful in numerous fitness competitions, she decided that training and helping others was her true passion.

Since going into fitness coaching and instruction she found her niche. Ariana is co-owner of CrossFit Hardcore and CrossFit Hardcore West. She is partners with her husband Lance Mosely. They have produced some great CrossFit athletes, several of whom competed in the 2008 CrossFit Games.

She talks about her extensive fitness background, training philosophies, and how to create and run a successful affiliate.

1hr 3min 9sec

The next show will be Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 at 6pm PDT. The interview will be Ricky Frausto from CrossFit Omaha.

0:00 Intro
3:00 Major Andrew Thompson of CrossFit Quantico
1:00:00 Letter from Terry Dickman on what a whining bastard Neil was with Jeff Tincher

USMC Maj. Andrew Thompson runs a unique military affiliate. After starting with one trainee, they commonly have over 40 participants per session. They do things very differently at CrossFit Quantico. All workouts are outside. They operate on a non-profit basis, meaning all access to trainers and equipment is free. Access is limited to: active duty military or retired military personnel, DoD civilians and contractors, CFHQ staff and others granted permission from the Maj. Their goal is to “exemplify the Marine Corps functional fitness concept and be an example for other military affiliates to emulate.” It is also interesting to note that they have two of their own Hero WODs.

You can imagine the questions that the value statements above would generate. We did our best to ask them all, plus some you wouldn't expect. We also outlined an essay that Maj. Thompson wrote called, “Characteristics of a World-Class Trainee.”

1hr 4min 36sec

The next show will be Monday, March 23rd, 2009 at 6pm PDT.

0:00 Intro
3:26 Jeannie Bassi of Jeannie’s Beach CrossFit
44:29 Discussion about the CrossFit Radio blog

This show will harken you back to Episode 6. Jeannie Bassi joined us again tonight to continue a conversation we started nearly 6 months ago. Jeannie is an outstanding athlete and successful affiliate owner. She is preparing for the 2009 CrossFit Games MidAtlantic Regional Qualifiers. Jeannie will be a tough competitor this year. Jeannie speaks about her background, her affiliate, and what she is doing to prepare for the Qualifiers and hopefully the Games. She give some great tips for improving performance.

50min 16sec

The next show will be Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 6pm PDT. Andrew Thompson from CrossFit Quantico will be the interview.

0:00 Intro
6:00 Gayle Jordan
55:00 Comment of the week
57:15 What JJ learned from OPT

Gayle Jordan joined the show for the first follow-up since coming on the show as a newbie one month ago. You may remember that the last time she was on she made some pretty lofty goals for herself. She stated that in one month’s time, she would be able to do 21 kipping pull-ups; she would demo a perfect OH squat and do a sub 9 min Fran. Just to put that into perspective for you, at the time, she could only perform 1 pull-up, she had no OH squat, and her Fran time was over 14 min.

She has now lost 70lbs. She talks about her progress on these goals, and made some more lofty goals for our next chat to take place in one month’s time.

1hr 2min 58sec

The next show will be Monday, March 16th, 2009 at 6pm PDT.

0:00 Intro
3:20 Jeff Tincher from CrossFit Fairfax
53:00 No news in the news

Jeff came in 5th in the 2008 CrossFit Games. He talks about that experience, as well as his history and about his first exposure to CrossFit. Jeff talks about his programming and nutrition philosophies, his programming philosophies differ slightly from the main site, but his nutrition is spot-on Zone. Jeff also shares his thoughts on what it takes to create a successful affiliate.

Justin wasn’t on air for the show. Earlier in the day, he took is daughter to the doctor for a “stomach ache.” The doc sent them to the ER for immediate removal of her appendix. The latest news via text is that all went well.

58min 59sec

The next show will be Friday, March 13th, 2009 at 6pm PDT.

0:00 Intro
3:00 Russell Benedetto, a follow-up interview with a CrossFit Newbie
35:00 Things Neil and Justin have learned from recent guests that have improved their performance

Russell has now been CrossFitting for three months. This is the second interview with him about his experiences getting into CrossFit. He has only missed three workouts in that time, and has been very strict with the Zone diet. He shares his insights into CrossFit from his perspective, and some of the challenges of fully embracing the lifestyle given the demands of work and life.

46min 7sec

The next show will be Wednesday, March 11th, 2009 at 6pm PDT with Jeff Tincher from CrossFit Fairfax

0:00 Intro
3:40 Rachel Medina from CrossFit South San Clemente and HQ traveling seminar trainer
57:00 Things Neil and Justin learned this week

Rachel talks about her background, how she got into training and then CrossFit, and some details about her affiliate. She covers the final three movements (of nine) from the CrossFit Level 1 seminar. Todd covered the first six movements.

1hr 3min 39sec

The next show will be Monday, March 9th, 2009 at 6pm PST.

0:00 Intro
2:45 Todd Widman, one of the CrossFit HQ seminar trainers and co-owner of CrossFit Flathead in Kalispell, MT.
1:01:00 Justin’s Pukie story

Todd talks about his athletic background and his early CrossFit experiences. He answers a bunch of Neal’s questions about training, being a trainer, and several of the core exercises in CrossFit.

1hr 6min 48sec

The next show will be Friday, March 6th, 2009 at 6pm PST.

0:00 Intro
1:50 Gillian Mounsey
50:00 Neil and JJ wax nostalgic as they found CrossFit one year ago

Gillian talks about her background, the early days of gymnastics and cross-country running, and her entry into weight training. She also covers her training and diet secrets (including ice cream and peanut butter).

1hr 1min 28sec

The next show will be Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Todd Widman.

0:00 Intro
2:00 Jeff Martone
55:45 The cure for fish oil burps
59:15 No news in the news

Jeff talked about how he got into kettlebells and how working with them cured chronic shoulder problems. He was a defensive tactics instructor for a federal agency and saw great improvements introducing KBs to that agency. Jeff also covers some tips and tricks for working with KBs.

1hr 2min 20sec

The next show will be Friday, February 27th, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Chris Spealler of CrossFit Park City.

0:00 Intro
2:20 Tony Budding from CrossFit HQ (pictured with Coach Mike Burgener)

Tony and Neil discuss the new 3-Dimensional Model of Fitness and Health. They dig in to some of the more technical aspects of the definitions, along with the history, evolution and implications of the model. At the end of the conversation, there’s a brief discussion of the 2009 CrossFit Games.

1hr 36sec

0:00 Intro
2:45 Kelly Starrett from San Francisco CrossFit
57:20 Comments of the week from “Jakers” and “Nick”

Kelly talks about his background, both in general and with CrossFit, his Midline Stabilization series in the Journal, and stretching suggestions and PNF.

1hr 2min 16sec

The next show will be Monday, February 23, 2009 with Tony Budding about the new 3-Dimensional Model of Fitness and Health.

0:00 Intro
0:40 Caity Matter from Rogue Fitness
38:30 A complaint about Neil’s review of the WiiFit
45:00 A letter expressing concerns that the newbies are being set up for failure

Caity talks about getting engaged to Bill Henniger, about her move to working at Rogue full time (leaving her job at Ohio State University), about defending her title and preparing for the CrossFit Games.

50min 10sec

0:00 Intro
3:50 Gayle Jordan, another CrossFit newbie
45:30 A discussion of a new review of the WiiFit

Gayle talked about her background and her weight loss journey (she has lost 59 pounds already), her experiences at Compound CrossFit in Chesapeake, VA, and her long term goals. Gayle will check in monthly with the show to track her progress.

52min 27sec

The next show will be Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 at 6pm PST.

0:00 Intro
4:20 Russell Benedetto, a CrossFit newbie
43:00 Discussion on how to answer the question “What is CrossFit?”
53:15 Rogue Fitness giveaway

Russell’s brother Major Mac Ward USMC CrossFit Cherry Point introduced Russell to CrossFit on December 23rd, 2008. Russell is going to stay in touch and document his experiences as he keeps doing his CrossFit workouts. In this first interview, he talks about his background, his first CrossFit experiences, his goals, and his favorite parts of the CrossFit world.

55min 27sec

The next show will be Monday, February 16th, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Gayle Jordan, another newbie with a female’s point of view.

There was a technical issue recording Episode 32, so unfortunately, there is nothing to post.

0:00 Intro
1:25 Jeff Martin from CrossFit Brand X
1:05:10 A letter from Michael Sawley about the 15 listeners

Jeff talked about his recent CrossFit Strength Bias article. He also explained his introduction to CrossFit and how Brand X and CrossFit Kids came about. They discussed the importance of CrossFit for kids and how their needs differ from adults.

1hr 8min 48sec

The next show will be Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Melissa Byers author of The Best Of CrossFit 1.

0:00 Intro
2:45 Justus Norgord, firefighter and owner of Cutting Edge CrossFit in Murietta, CA
38:00 Letter from Sean McCue on why CrossFitters are so humble.

Justus is a Fire Chief with San Diego Fire and Rescue. He talked about the poor exercise and eating habits of his comrades and how the stresses of the job are contributing to heart attacks and other common health problems. Justus brought hard data on what functional fitness is doing for those in the fire and rescue services, not to mention the tax payers. Some of this data included a drop in work-comp related injury costs by more than $1.5 million. Also, he reported that downtime related to on the job injuries has been cut by more than 50%.

42min 41sec

The next show will be Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 6pm PST.

0:00 Intro
2:30 Jonathon Kinnick of Beyond the Whiteboard and CrossFit Kinnick
51:00 Neil gets a harsh letter from a listener about the Mike Adams interview.

Jonathon talked about the features and business structure of Beyond the Whiteboard.

58min 24sec

The next show will be Friday, February 6th, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Justus Norgord, firefighter and owner of Cutting Edge CrossFit in Murietta, CA.

0:00 Intro
2:20 Greg Amundson (shown with wife Mallee)
49:00 Joel Maggio wrote a letter of support for CrossFit Radio that talked about how he and many at CrossFit Redding listen to the show religiously.
51:00 Stu Brauer is acting as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Muskingum College Wrestling team. He writes that he is being hassled by the athletic director for putting his team through these crazy workouts.

Greg talked about the early days with CrossFit, and why he has not done the CrossFit Games. He gave fitness advice centered around consistency and deliberateness, and encouraged everyone to keep meticulous records of progress. Finally, he spoke of his love for CrossFit and Coach.

58min 5sec

The next show will be Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Jonathon Kinnick of Beyond the Whiteboard and CrossFit Kinnick.

0:00 Intro
4:00 James Fitzgerald (OPT)
54:00 Callout for a few new CrossFitters to chronicle their efforts

Neil had so many questions sent in advance from listeners that they just jumped right into them. Topics included his strategy for getting through WODs most efficiently, how he psyches up for a competition, and why certain movements are better than others. He also shared his secrets for preparing for the qualifiers and Games.

58min 46sec

The next show will be Monday, February 2nd, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Greg Amundson.

0:00 Intro
1:00 Mike Adams, the editor of naturalnews.com
36:00 No news in the news
39:00 World record claimed on max number of chin ups in one minute (54) by Jake Moller (Video)

Mike has done some research and writing on controversial topics regarding the state of the American Health industry. He regularly takes on Big Pharma and the FDA and FTC. His website is read by over 1 million people every month.

He brought up a $10k challenge he issued to Big Pharma. Last year he challenged ANY pharmaceutical company to produce one person in all of America who is on the top 5 drugs prescribed by doctors to beat him in a fitness throw down.

42min 28sec

The next show will be Friday, January 30, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be James Fitzgerald (OPT).

0:00 Intro
2:00 Jeff Tucker from GSX Athletics
51:00 Call out to newbies
54:00 Comment of the week from Bingo

Jeff talked about his background and how he went from football to bull riding to gymnastics, and how he found CrossFit. They discussed what to expect at a gymnastics cert and why, including the fundamental gymnastic movements that apply to CrossFit. After watching athletes in the CrossFit Games, he knew he could increase their efficiency with some gymnastics coaching. He is leading the regional qualifiers for the SW territories.

56min 45sec

The next show will be Wednesday, January 28, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Mike Adams, the editor of naturalnews.com on the big pharmaceuticals, the FDA and FTC.

0:00 Intro
2:00 Tony Blauer from Blauer Tactical
55:45 Letter from Brad Willock on the usefulness of CrossFit for young females
57:30 Rogue Fitness giveaway of a dBM jump rope

He shared what being a part of the CrossFit community means to him, when the last time he had to “throw down” was, and how he got into self-defense. He also discussed the physical requirements of an altercations and the little known psychological requirements of being successful in an altercation.

He explained that the “first move” isn’t usually the first punch, and that being aware is the most useful weapon. There are actually a couple points on the body that will incapacitate an attacker (but it’s not the groin).

1hr 22sec

The next show will be Monday, January 26, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Jeff Tucker from GSX Athletics.

0:00 Intro
1:40 Freddy Camacho from CrossFit One World called in from his vacation in Hawaii
37:20 No news in the news
39:00 Justin gets a CrossFit Dental T-shirt

Freddy talked about Freddy’s Revenge and Oly lifting at CrossFit One World, being 43 years old, his diet, and of course, the CrossFit Games.

43min 26sec

The next show will be Friday, January 23, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Tony Blauer from Blauer Tactical.

0:00 Intro
1:40 Adrian Bozman (pictured, with Jolie Gentry) of San Francisco CrossFit
41:30 A few minutes of Coach’s National War College speech

Boz talked about his (overstated) background in gymnastics, his penchant for acrobatics, his history with CrossFit, and his secrets to going from newbie to now. He also explained that his CrossFit heroes are those who show up every day.

48min 9sec

The next show will be Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Freddy Camacho of CrossFit One World.

0:00 Intro
4:00 Eva Twardokens (pictured) from CrossFit Santa Cruz Central
50:00 Rogue Fitness weightlifting shoes giveaway

Eva talks about the early days with Coach Glassman, her skiing background on the US Ski Team, and how much a difference CrossFit would have made in her competitive years.

53min 1sec

The next show will be Monday, January 19, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Adrian Bozman of San Francisco CrossFit

0:00 Intro
2:00 Keith Wittenstein (pictured) of CrossFit Virtuosity
35:00 Catching up with JJ
39:45 Rogue Fitness giveaway announcement (for the Friday show)

Keith has been CrossFitting since 2004, and helped create CrossFit NYC. He was a lawyer who got into MMA and yoga. He runs CrossFit Virtuosity in NYC and teaches yoga. He talks about his background, why everyone trains barefoot at CrossFit Virtuosity, and how yoga can be beneficial for a number of CrossFitters.

42min 9sec

The next show will be Friday, January 16, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Eva Twardokens from CrossFit Santa Cruz Central.

0:00 Intro
2:00 Chris LaLanne (pictured in background with wife Maribel, uncle Jack is in the foreground) from CrossFit LaLanne Fitness
31:30 A letter from Michael Arseneau about gluten intolerance

Chris LaLanne is the grand-nephew of the famous Jack LaLanne. Chris talks about his background and how he got into CrossFit. He also talks about learning about the business of CrossFit from Andy Petranek of CrossFit LA.

38min 11sec

The next show will be Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Keith Wittenstein of CrossFit Virtuosity.

0:00 Interview with Robert J Foley (pictured) already underway
21:15 Letter from Brian H about CrossFit snobbery
24:30 Interview with Chris Mello from CrossFit Souix Falls
31:30 8lb Medicine Ball giveaway from Rogue Fitness

JJ was not on the show, as he was with his high school wrestlers at a tournament (they have been CrossFitting since the summer and beat one team 71 to 3).

Robert Foley has performed every main site WOD (and posted as rjf) since July 20th, 2007. That is over 400 consecutive workouts. Chris Mello just opened CrossFit Souix Falls, thereby removing the red diamond from the South Dakota listing on the Affiliate Blog.

34min 44sec

The next show will be Monday, January 12, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Chris LaLanne (nephew of Jack LaLanne) of CrossFit LaLanne Fitness.

0:00 Show Intro
2:00 Jeremy Thiel (pictured) from CrossFit Central
39:00 Conclusion

Jeremy talks about the CrossFit Games (he finished 3rd overall in 2008), his background, his training, the steroid accusations, and more.

43min 10sec

The next show will be Friday, January 9, 2009 at 6pm PST. The interview will be Robert Foley, a CrossFitter who has followed the main site WODs for 400 days without interruption.

0:00 Show Intro, CrossFit snobbery, and the new format
7:50 Brian Mackenzie (pictured) from CrossFit Endurance
38:00 New Year’s resolutions

46min 15sec

The next show will be Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 6pm PST. Jeremy Thiel of CrossFit Central will be the interview.

0:00 Intro and Justin’s Year in Review poem
11:15 Pat Barber from CrossFit Santa Cruz
35:45 “What the food industry doesn’t want you to know”
41:00 Lisbeth Darsh from CrossFit Watertown and the Affiliate Blog
1:09:30 Comments of the week (including an Operation Phoenix update)
1:15:00 Justin and Neil’s top three CrossFit moments of the year

1hr 23min 31sec

0:00 Intro and Chris’s attempt at JJ’s intro.
7:00 Dutch Lowy from CrossFit ATM
40:00 Letter from Dean Wiener from Melbourne, Australia
44:30 Shawn Mozen from AGATSU

1hr 17min 36sec

0:00 Intro and Justin's wrestlers
7:00 Neil relapsed into a bodybuilding workout
9:00 Eric Vandermeersch from CrossFit Mississauga and the "extortion" letter
27:30 CrossFit Dental and the Fran record
32:45 No news in the news
36:00 Marcus Dedina from Sites as Rx'd
55:00 The politics surrounding Operation Phoenix

58min 28sec

0:00 Intro and CrossFit Christmas list with Reno_Ty
27:00 Damon Stewart from Wasatch CrossFit on purchasing equipment
47:00 “Extortion” letter to CrossFit Mississauga
55:00 Andy Petranek from CrossFit Los Angeles

1hr 19min 48sec

0:00 Intro and being thankful
5:30 Josh Everett
25:30 Having fun with Yoga
30:15 Bill Patton from LogsItAll
50:45 Letter of the Week
54:45 Coach Mike Burgener of Mike’s Gym

1hr 12min 54sec

0:00 Show Intro, JJ's wrestlers, Neil's PRs
5:30 Tanya Wagner of CrossFit Apex
24:00 Freddy Camacho of CrossFit One World
49:30 Story from Trevor
52:00 Coach Mark Rippetoe of CrossFit Wichita Falls

0:00 Show intro and CrossFit Journal Challenge
2:00 Bill Henniger of Rogue Fitness
15:00 Nick and Rebecca Ballstaedt on CrossFit marriage counseling
26:30 Some science of the stability ball
28:20 Jimi Letchford of Operation Phoenix
41:00 No news in the news
43:00 Comment of the week from Amie
48:00 Andy Stumpf from CrossFit Coronado

1hr 11min 18sec

0:00 Intro and Jason "Rhabdo" Kaplan - The 1:53 Fran
22:30 CrossFit Journal Challenge
24:00 Success Story: Steve Liberati from Steve's Club
38:20 John Brown of CrossFit Agoge and the Hopper Deck
48:00 Comments of the Week
53:00 Cyndi Rodi from CrossFit Kids

1hr 14min 16sec

0:00 Show intro
6:50 Joe Marsh of CrossFit Las Vegas
15:00 The CrossFit “Celebrity”
18:30 Jolie Gentry
38:20 Main site comments
40:30 Jimi Letchford on Operation Phoenix

57min 28sec

0:00 Show Intro
2:25 Jeannie Bassie of Beach CrossFit in Virginia Beach
16:30 How to know you've been sipping too much of the Kool-Aid
22:40 "No News" from the Journal of Clinical Pathology
24:00 Mikki Martin of CrossFit Brand X and CrossFit Kids
43:40 Justin's sons' broken arms
47:30 Comments of the week
49:10 Lauren Glassman

1hr 10min 58sec

0:00 Show Intro
3:13 Josh Bunch - Competitive bodybuilder using CrossFit
23:24 How to know you've been sipping too much of the Kool-Aid
26:15 "News" from ACSM and AHA
30:55 Nicole Carroll - CrossFit HQ Director of Training
49:10 Comments of the week
52:15 Brian Mackenzie - CrossFit Endurance

1hr 18min 23sec

0:00 Show Intro
4:20 JJ on the wrestlers he coaches
17:20 Letter from Sean P (US Army Cavalry Scout) on the efficacy of CrossFit for soldiers in Iraq
21:30 Caity Matter (winner of the 2008 CrossFit Games) interview
38:20 Comments of the Week
43:30 Dave Castro clip on Outside Magazine's "Fittest Real Men in America"
46:50 Robb Wolf Interview

1hr 15min 6sec

Here are a few of the topics discussed:

• Why bother?
• Uncle Rhabdo and the so-called “cavalier attitude” of CrossFit toward injury
• The “cult-like” allegiance to Coach Glassman
• The accusation that CrossFit is simply a “bastardized version” of Alwyn Cosgrove's approach
• Injuries in the military that are supposedly results of CrossFitting
• The assertion that adults cannot learn Oly-lifts
• Kipping pull-ups are cheating and harmful

Neil plays clips from the Boyle podcast and the five respond.

03:47 Kyle Maynard interview - Introduction and conclusion only. Unfortunately, there was a temporary failing with both the studio recording equipment and the back up recording, and most of this interview was lost.
07:35 Marine Corps Scout-sniper instructor "Matt" discusses the efficacy of CrossFit
17:30 Wii Fit "Review"
21:58 Special surprise guest appearance by Greg Glassman
30:55 New segment - No News in the News
32:33 Affiliate co-director Lisa Lugo interview
46:03 Comments of the Week
47:55 CrossFit Games 2008 winner Jason Khalipa interview

1hr 13min 24sec

0min - Show intro
6min - AllisonNYC on CrossFit “haters”
15min - Mike Boyle defending his podcast comments
43min - Sean Waxman responding to Mike Boyle's podcast
54min - Best comments of the week (Cameron and nathan_t)
57min - Tony Blauer on MMA vs street defense

1hr 19min

0min - Show intro
9min - Johnny DiGregorio, a CrossFitter who has lost 180lbs in 3 years
18min - Teaser clip of Mike Boyle's trashing of CrossFit in his podcast
29min - Tony Budding on the CrossFit Journal
46min - Best comments of the week
48min - Tony Blauer on scenario-based self defense

Unfortunately, the recording protocol automatically stopped after an hour, so a good portion of Tony Blauer's interview was lost. It was clear that Neil had just scratched the surface with him, so they agreed he'd come back soon. This gives them even more incentive for a quick round 2.
60min 47sec