Episodes

  • How to Get Out of Your Own Way with Mark England (EP. 057)

    How to Get Out of Your Own Way with Mark England (EP. 057)
    Dec 15 2025
    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 [podcasts@crossfit.com].

    Join us LIVE every Thursday at 10 a.m. If you love this podcast, please drop us a rating and review, and share it with everyone you love.
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • [CFMS SERIES] The Decline of Health in Italy and How to Stop It (EP. 056)

    [CFMS SERIES] The Decline of Health in Italy and How to Stop It (EP. 056)
    Dec 8 2025
    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 [podcasts@crossfit.com].

    Join us LIVE every Thursday at 10 a.m. If you love this podcast, please drop us a rating and review, and share it with everyone you love.
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    41 mins
  • Rethinking Body Image and Nutrition in CrossFit (EP. 055)

    Rethinking Body Image and Nutrition in CrossFit (EP. 055)
    Dec 1 2025
    This marks the eighth episode of a special CrossFit Podcast collaboration with the CrossFit Medical Society.

    CrossFit Podcast producer Maggie Mullen steps out from backstage for a raw, unfiltered conversation about body image, nutrition, and the culture of CrossFit. From her early days as a competitor and fueling to perform, to finding balance, Maggie opens up about food neurosis, body dysmorphia, and an alternative view of diet culture.

    This episode digs into the tension between discipline and obsession, aesthetics and health, and what it really means to chase your best self inside the gym and out.

    TOPICS INCLUDED
    • How CrossFit reshaped Maggie’s relationship with food and body image
    • Body positivity vs. fat shaming — and finding a “third way”
    • The role of CrossFit in building self-awareness and resilience
    • CrossFit as moving meditation and mental health therapy
    RESOURCES MENTIONED
    • M2 Performance Nutrition
    Community Highlight

    Duncan Seawell is a clinical psychologist and the president of Forging Youth Resilience (FYR), a nonprofit helping gyms open their doors to kids who otherwise couldn’t access CrossFit.

    He launched a Steve’s Club chapter in Denver in 2015 and helped shape FYR into what it is today: a network of 20 active clubs reaching thousands of youth, from foster care to incarceration to kids just trying to find their place.

    FYR partners with schools, gyms, and foster homes to deliver trauma-informed CrossFit, covering coaching, transportation, and nutrition. But its heart is FYR Camp, a week-long mountain retreat where kids train, hike, and sit in nightly circles to share their stories.

    “It’s sort of a group therapy light context,” Duncan says. “One kid says, ‘I’ve been through this,’ and another says, ‘Me too.’ The power of that connection is amazing.”

    As Duncan puts it: “Kids are growing unhealthier in all kinds of ways — physical, mental, metabolic. The solution is prevention. Our job is to make sure no kid is kept out of a gym because of money.”

    Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.

    Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com].

    Join us LIVE every Thursday at 10 a.m. If you love this podcast, please drop us a rating and review, and share it with everyone you love.
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    38 mins
  • Health Advice From The Fittest Doc (EP. 054)

    Health Advice From The Fittest Doc (EP. 054)
    Nov 24 2025
    Dr. Nick (aka The Fittest Doc) joins Jocelyn Rylee to unpack how CrossFit shaped his approach to medicine. They dig into lifestyle versus pharmaceuticals, the role of identity in lasting change, and why doctors need to prioritize their own health.

    Topics Covered
    • How CrossFit reshaped Dr. Nick’s discipline and medical practice
    • Lifestyle-first vs. pharma-first approaches to chronic disease
    • Performance as a predictor of future health
    • Building credibility: Should doctors practice what they preach?
    • The role of affiliates in bridging healthcare and community
    Resources Mentioned
    • CrossFit for Health Summit
    • Dr. Nick's Website
    Community Highlight
    The Phoenix is built on one idea: recovery is stronger in community.

    Since 2006, they’ve reached nearly a million people impacted by substance use and mental health challenges — and CrossFit has become their most popular program. More than 100,000 people have found sobriety and support through Phoenix CrossFit classes, with 83% staying sober beyond the three-month mark.

    We spoke with Gavin Young, a Phoenix leader and longtime CrossFit athlete in recovery, who shared how daily progress in training — one more rep, one more pound, one more second — becomes a cornerstone in rebuilding lives.

    From Boston to Denver to Philadelphia, The Phoenix is proving what’s possible when fitness meets recovery: a resilient community built on hope, accountability, and shared struggle — one workout at a time.

    Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted?     Nominate them here.

    Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com]

    Join us LIVE every Thursday at 10 a.m. If you love this podcast, please drop us a rating and review, and share it with everyone you love.
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    49 mins
  • [CFMS SERIES] Dave Durante on Life After the Olympics (EP. 053)

    [CFMS SERIES] Dave Durante on Life After the Olympics (EP. 053)
    Nov 17 2025
    This marks the seventh episode of a special CrossFit Podcast collaboration with the CrossFit Medical Society.

    Olympian and Power Monkey Fitness co-founder Dave Durante joins the CrossFit Podcast to talk about the transition from elite competition to lifelong fitness. After representing the U.S. in gymnastics at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Dave discovered CrossFit, and it changed his life.

    He shares how CrossFit helped him stay healthy and strong beyond his competitive years, the story behind Power Monkey Camp, and why gymnastics remains one of the best foundations for athleticism at any age.

    TOPICS INCLUDED
    • Life after elite sport: finding purpose and health beyond competition
    • How CrossFit reignited Dave’s passion for training
    • The creation and evolution of Power Monkey Camp
    • Building bridges between gymnastics and CrossFit
    • The importance of play, curiosity, and community in adult fitness
    • Why gymnastics is the ultimate foundation for all sports
    RESOURCES MENTIONED
    • Power Monkey Fitness
    • Power Monkey Camp
    • CrossFit Gymnastics Courses
    • “Weight of Gold” (HBO Documentary)
    Community Highlight

    After two decades studying cancer genetics, Dr. Jennifer Beebe-Dimmer wanted to give patients something they could act on today. That’s how the CAPABLE program was born, a free, 12-week, CrossFit-based intervention for cancer survivors.

    Coached by Level 1 trainers, participants train three times a week and complete pre- and post-testing for strength, conditioning, and biomarkers. Since 2019, more than 275 people have gone through the program, most of whom had never done anything like it before.

    The results speak for themselves: significant improvements in quality of life, body composition, sleep, and A1C, with cognitive function up next.

    Beebe-Dimmer calls CrossFit the “secret sauce,” not just for the workouts, but for the coaching and community that keep people coming back.“

    When I look back at my career, this will be the most meaningful thing I’ve done.”

    Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.

    Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com] or complete our survey here.


    Join us LIVE every Thursday at 10 a.m. If you love this podcast, please drop us a rating and review, and share it with everyone you love.

    Join us LIVE every Thursday at 10 a.m. If you love this podcast, please drop us a rating and review, and share it with everyone you love.
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    25 mins
  • Sara Wilkinson: “Grief Is Love With Nowhere to Go” (EP. 051)

    Sara Wilkinson: “Grief Is Love With Nowhere to Go” (EP. 051)
    Nov 10 2025
    You’ve probably heard of the workout CHAD1000X (1,000 weighted step-ups for time) and The Step Up Foundation – the organization using fitness to raise awareness for mental health and veteran suicide prevention. In this episode, we get to know the selfless leader behind both: Sara Wilkinson. After losing her husband, Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson, to suicide in 2018, Sara turned grief into purpose, creating a global movement that’s brought thousands together each year to honor his legacy and support others who are struggling.She opens up about what it means to carry grief, how community heals, and the importance of looking people in the eye and asking, “How are you, really?”Topics IncludedThe story behind Chad1000X and its growth into a global movementHow Sara transformed grief into purpose through The Step Up FoundationCompassion, resilience, and the power of community in healingSuicide awareness, mental health, and the language we use around lossThe realities of military life, brain injury (CTE), and post-service transitionThe importance of small acts of kindness and connectionResources MentionedChad 1000XThe Step Up FoundationHome Base (Boston-based veteran brain clinic)Sound Off (mental health therapy platform for veterans)Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS)Boston Frogman Swim988 Suicide and Crisis LifelineSara Wilkinson on InstagramWillpower and Resilience, Live BigJocko PodcastCleared Hot PodcastCommunity HighlightCory and Sara Fulana don’t just run two gyms — they run on purpose.At Silk City CrossFit and CrossFit Hartford, service is part of the workout. Every month, they rally their community for something bigger — suicide awareness events with Uplift, women’s WODs supporting local female-owned businesses, Toys for Tots drives, marathon rows for the Boys and Girls Club, and Hero WODs that honor those who have served.Their question is always the same: How can we give back?Because for Cory and Sara, CrossFit isn’t just about fitness — it’s about using strength to serve others.Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com] or complete our survey here.Join us LIVE every Thursday at 10 a.m. If you love this podcast, please drop us a rating and review, and share it with everyone you love.
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • The Story Behind the Viral @When_Nerds_Teach – Meet Dr. Fatty Acid (EP. 049)

    The Story Behind the Viral @When_Nerds_Teach – Meet Dr. Fatty Acid (EP. 049)
    Nov 3 2025
    Dr. Fatty Acid, the viral creator behind @When_Nerds_Teach, joins Denise Thomas for a refreshingly honest conversation about finding CrossFit, battling fatty liver disease, navigating Wegovy, and rediscovering strength. A lifelong teacher, she talks about humor, vulnerability, and learning to love movement for what it gives, not how it looks.

    Topics Included
    • Discovering CrossFit as a total beginner and overcoming intimidation
    • Balancing modern medicine (Wegovy) with lifestyle change
    • Teaching, burnout, and how CrossFit helps with decision fatigue
    • Managing body image, binge eating, and food anxiety
    Resources Mentioned
    • Book: “Body Kindness" by Rebecca Scritchfield
    • Documentary: “Clemente” about Roberto Clemente’s life and legacy
    • CrossFit Tantrum (Dr. Fatty Acid’s affiliate)
    Community Highlight
    At just 16, Harrison Kennedy is already competing at the highest levels of CrossFit, but his story is about more than training.

    After facing mental health struggles, Harrison found purpose again at CrossFit Delta Fox in northern England, a gym partnered with The 180 Project, which helps people rebuild their lives after prison, addiction, or trauma.

    Now he’s giving back, coaching younger athletes and showing them the same thing CrossFit showed him: that community and hard work can change everything.

    Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.

    Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com] or complete our survey here.

    Join us LIVE every Thursday at 10 a.m. If you love this podcast, please drop us a rating and review, and share it with everyone you love.
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • [CFMS SERIES] The Healthcare Revolution Starts in The Affiliate (EP. 047)

    [CFMS SERIES] The Healthcare Revolution Starts in The Affiliate (EP. 047)
    Oct 27 2025
    This marks the sixth episode of a special CrossFit Podcast collaboration with the CrossFit Medical Society.

    CrossFit affiliates are the force transforming how the healthcare system operates.

    Zia Rohrbaugh of CrossFit Counter Culture and Josh Plosker of Invictus Boston have turned their gyms into full-service “health homes,” offering blood panels, IV therapy, and access to Community Care health plans — all built around CrossFit’s foundational principles.

    In this conversation, Jocelyn Rylee explores how affiliates bring these systems to life, how members save money through HSA and FSA programs, and what it means for the future of CrossFit and community-based healthcare.

    TOPICS INCLUDED
    • How affiliates are transforming into “health homes”
    • Partnering with the CrossFit Medical Society
    • Offering blood panels, IV therapy, and telemedicine in gyms
    • How Community Care provides affordable health coverage
    • Using HSA/FSA and TrueMed to make CrossFit memberships tax-free
    • The future of CrossFit as a global healthcare model
    RESOURCES MENTIONED
    • CrossFit Medical Society and Community Care
    • TrueMed
    • CrossFit Counter Culture
    • Invictus Boston
    Community Highlight
    In 2011, Jaeho Woo discovered CrossFit as a college athlete in Seoul. What started as training for basketball became a lifelong passion — one that eventually took him to the most remote place on Earth.

    After serving in the Korean military and coaching CrossFit, Jaeho opened an affiliate in Seoul — then shipped 500 lb of equipment to Antarctica to found the first CrossFit affiliate on the continent.

    For 10 months, he’s coached his 18-person crew in a tiny gym surrounded by glaciers. When the endless dark set in and isolation hit hard, Jaeho kept showing up — knocking on doors, reminding his teammates: When you train together, you feel better, and you’re never alone.

    As he prepares to leave Antarctica, Jaeho’s message is simple: Isolation is real. Resilience comes from connection. Wherever you are, don’t go it alone.

    Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.

    Share Your Thoughts: Email us [podcasts@crossfit.com] or complete our survey here.

    Join us LIVE every Thursday at 10 a.m. If you love this podcast, please drop us a rating and review, and share it with everyone you love.
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    26 mins