The CrossFit Podcast

CrossFit was born from curiosity, trial and error, and the willingness to test ideas in real time. In this conversation, host Jocelyn Rylee and senior content writer Stephane Rochet revisit the roots of that culture and explore why self-experimentation remains one of the most powerful tools for improving performance, health, and well-being. They reflect on the early days of nutrition inside CrossFit, the experiments that shaped their own training, and why results-driven thinking cuts through dogma. From zone ratios to carb backloading, fasting, fruit fasts, and the realities of changing needs across life stages, this episode highlights how paying attention, tracking outcomes, and staying open-minded can reshape your relationship with food and training. Topics Covered The origins of self experimentation within CrossFit culture How to define “what’s working” in training and nutrition Lessons learned from decades of nutrition experiments Adjusting habits across changing life stages Building life skills around food, tracking, and personal agency Resources Mentioned Barry Sears and the Zone Mark Bell Mike Burgener Jocko Willink Community HighlightAmy and Jim Gay have been part of CrossFit Adaptation for over a decade. Last year, they became the gym’s new owners and quickly faced a challenge. Located just outside D.C., many members were hit hard by recent federal job cuts. One by one, people were getting laid off and preparing to cancel their memberships. Amy and Jim didn’t flinch. They told them, “Just keep coming in.”Then a coach had an idea: start a sponsorship program. Now, members with the means can chip in — either once or monthly — to cover membership costs for others going through tough times. The response has been huge. When things got hard, the community didn’t shrink. It stepped up. Amy and Jim’s advice to other affiliate owners? Don’t treat your gym like a normal business. The real magic is in the details — staying close, listening, and showing up. Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.

This marks the tenth and final episode of a special CrossFit Podcast collaboration with the CrossFit Medical Society. Dan Uyemura, founder and CEO of PushPress, has a rare vantage point: data from thousands of CrossFit affiliates around the world. In this conversation, he breaks down what separates thriving gyms from struggling ones, why engagement matters more than marketing, and how technology can amplify, not replace, the human experience at the heart of CrossFit. From the “golden rule” for new members to the psychology behind retention, Dan and host Jocelyn Rylee dig into how affiliate owners can build stronger communities, smarter systems, and more sustainable businesses. TOPICS INCLUDED The data behind retention: what predicts whether members stay The connection between engagement, referrals, and sales How to onboard new members without making them feel stupid Using technology (and AI) to support, not replace, community Community Highlight The FDNY Barbell Club doesn’t just fight fires. They train like their lives depend on it. Founded in 2019 by firefighter Rick Roman, the department’s official CrossFit team blends competition, camaraderie, and accountability inside a firehouse gym outfitted with ropes, rowers, and barbells. They push through classic CrossFit workouts, monthly throwdowns, and competitions from local events to the World Police and Fire Games, where Roman and his teammates recently landed on the podium. For them, every rep has a deeper purpose: staying ready. In full gear, firefighters carry 60 to 130 lb into life-or-death situations, and CrossFit builds the strength, stamina, and grit they need when the alarm bell rings. “You want to do it right, do it hard, and make sure everyone goes home.” Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here. Share Your Thoughts: Email us [[email protected]]

The CrossFit Podcast team is pulling back the curtain for this special episode. Get a look behind the scenes at what it took to restart the CrossFit Podcast, what we learned the hard way, and the top moments of the show in 2025. Spend a little bit of your holiday season with us — Denise Thomas, Jocelyn Rylee, and Maggie Mullen. We hope this episode brings you some holiday cheer, ideas for what to binge next, and a bit of perspective on what matters most. From all of us to you and your family — both CrossFit and nuclear — happy holidays, and please tell us how 12 Days of Christmas (or whatever WOD you’re hitting) goes. Topics Covered Why CrossFit brought the podcast back and what changed in 2025. The turning point episode: Has CrossFit Lost Its Soul With James Hobart. Why we do this podcast – the most meaningful moments. Top five episodes worth revisiting from 2025.  Episodes Mentioned Top Five Episodes Worth Revisiting Dr. Chris Palmer Episode James Hobart Episode Dr. Fatty Acid Episode Dr. Allison Brager Episode Nicole Carroll Episode 1 Community and Culture Show Forging Elite Fitness The Standard Big Impact Nick Wells and Gino Aviles (Redemption Road; Episode) Helen Taylor (Core City Kids; Episode) Scott and Gwenna Bradley (Underground PDX; Episode)  Angie Manson (Elevate Addiction Services; Episode)  Sara Wilkinson (Step Up Foundation; Episode)  Other Mentions Dr. Rhonda Patrick Episode Maggie Mullen Episode Resources Mentioned Nikki Boyer “Brain Energy,” by Dr. Chris Palmer Brian Little, Ted Talk on Introversion and Extroversion Community Highlight CrossFit PolFed RAC exists because one officer, Pierre De Pelsemaeker-Godart, kept sharing something he cared about. In 2010, when his team in the Brussels Federal Judicial Police moved into an unfinished government building, Pierre had just discovered CrossFit. With no gym, no equipment, and no dedicated space, he organized workouts wherever he could—outside in the park, inside the office, and eventually in an empty underground concrete room. Pierre led his colleagues in building a training space from scratch using pallets, cardboard, and bodyweight movements. More officers joined because the workouts were simple, consistent, and open to anyone. By 2014, a small sports room became their home base. They pooled money for second-hand equipment, competed in the CrossFit Open, and officially founded the nonprofit CrossFit PolFed RAC. Years later, the affiliate is still active, serving dozens of members, because one person believed training together could change his workplace — and did the work to make it real. Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here. Share Your Thoughts: Email us [[email protected]].

In this episode, Denise Thomas sits down with Mark England, co-founder of Enlifted Coaching, to unpack the real meaning of “mindset,” not as a buzzword, but as the story you tell yourself. A former MMA fighter turned educator, Mark shares how injuries and failure led him to discover transformational wordsmithing: the process of changing your internal dialogue to change your life. He walks through practical tools that anyone, especially coaches and athletes, can use to rewrite limiting stories, calm their nervous system, and reclaim control through language and breath. This one’s part conversation, part masterclass. Grab a pen. TOPICS INCLUDED The link between words, breath, and awareness How victim mentality is formed and how to dismantle it The “soft talk” words that cause indecision and stress Real-time application: Denise and Mark’s live exercise on rewriting limiting beliefs RESOURCES MENTIONED Enlifted Coaching Mark England’s TED Talk Barbell Shrugged Podcast (Mark’s 2017 episode) Best Hour of Their Day Coaching Program CrossFit Paradiso (Venice, California) Community Highlight After two car accidents and a diagnosis of early-stage Parkinson’s, Becky Johnson refused to give up. Just days after spine surgery, she walked into CrossFit Loco Ocho — neck brace and all — to do her version of Murph. “Having a strong baseline of fitness prepares you for whatever life throws your way,” she says. “This is the sickness-wellness-fitness continuum in action. I got a devastating diagnosis, but I already had the antidote.” Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here. Share Your Thoughts: Email us [[email protected]].

This marks the ninth episode of a special CrossFit Podcast collaboration with the CrossFit Medical Society. Italy once held one of the lowest obesity rates in the developed world, but that’s changing fast. CrossFit Country Manager and longtime affiliate owner Matteo Pozzati joins the show to talk about the cultural shift in Italy, the rise of chronic disease, and how CrossFit is stepping in to rebuild true health from the ground up. Matteo shares his journey from coaching in Venice to teaching hospital workers how to move safely, leading Italy’s affiliate community, and fighting to preserve CrossFit’s identity amid the noise of mainstream fitness. He and host Jocelyn Rylee discuss why elite coaching matters, how education is the bridge to better health, and what it’ll take to connect CrossFit affiliates and healthcare systems worldwide. Topics Covered The decline of the Mediterranean diet and rise of chronic disease in Italy Bringing CrossFit methodology into hospitals and health care education Building bridges between affiliates and medical professionals Preserving CrossFit’s identity and elite coaching standards Nutrition, culture, and the return to traditional food practices The global challenge of connecting CrossFit to health systems Community Highlight For nearly two decades, Erin Richter has been fighting for health on the front lines — and refusing to give up. She opened CrossFit Old School in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 2008, staying there, as she put it, “because this was the area that needed it the most.” Today, her affiliate serves kids as young as 3 and adults in their 80s. She partners with addiction recovery centers, supports people with disabilities, and helps those told they’d never squat again find their strength. She’s built nonprofits, raised thousands for local causes, and worked with the state to bring CrossFit into public schools. Erin doesn’t chase PRs or the spotlight, just impact. In a city dubbed the “Obesity Capital of the U.S.,” she’s quietly changing lives every day. Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here. Share Your Thoughts: Email us [[email protected]].