Tag: CrossFit Affiliates Page 1 of 2

Jocelyn Rylee and Dan Uyemura with Text He's Seen Inside 5,000 CrossFit Gyms and the CrossFit Medical Society Logo

[CFMS SERIES] AI, Community, and the Future of CrossFit Affiliates with Dan Uyemura

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On December 29, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

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.

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Jocelyn Rylee and Matteo Pozzati with Text Fitness is Health not a Luxury and the CrossFit Medical Society logo thumbnail

[CFMS SERIES] The Decline of Health in Italy and How to Stop It

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On December 8, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

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].

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Dr. Nick and Jocelyn Rylee images with text "DO YOU PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH?" thumbnail

Health Advice From The Fittest Doc

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On November 24, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

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

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]

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James Hobart, Don Faul, Zia Rohrbaugh with text CATCHING UP WITH DON AND ZIA LIVE PODCAST thumbnail

[LIVE] The Latest From CrossFit’s CEO and A Top Affiliate Owner (EP. 052)

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On November 8, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

CrossFit CEO Don Faul and Affiliate Council Chair Zia Rohrbaugh join host James Hobart for a pulse check on what’s happening across the company and the community. They discuss the role of CrossFit HQ and CrossFit affiliates, the importance of the CrossFit brand for affiliates, and how to support international communities.

Stay till the end to hear from special guests Troy Peterson of ValorFit and Mike Egan, as they preview their plans for Veterans Day. 

Support Mike in his effort to break a world record and raise money for ValorFit HERE.

Let us know what you think –> podcasts@crossfit.com

Follow us on YouTube to join us every Thursday at 10 am PT.

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Nicole Carroll, Denise Thomas, and Craig Howard with text FORGING ELITE FITNESS IS BACK LIVE PODCAST thumbnail

[LIVE] Understanding the Return to Forging Elite Fitness® (EP. 048)

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On November 7, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

“Forging Elite Fitness®” has been part of the CrossFit brand since 2003. And now, it’s representing CrossFit front and center once again after a few years of lurking behind the scenes. But what does it really mean? And what doesn’t it mean? And why are we bringing it back? 

In this show, Denise Thomas is joined by Nicole Carroll, Craig Howard, and Jocelyn Rylee to unpack the phrase that debuted its revival tour this week in our new “Forging Elite Fitness” video and accompanying article. They’ll talk about where the misunderstanding often lies: Is it only about Games athletes? Is “elite” too aggressive? Or does it perfectly capture what CrossFit does for anyone who walks through the door, from grandparents to Games competitors?

Let us know what you think –> podcasts@crossfit.com

Follow us on YouTube to join us every Thursday at 10 am PT.

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Thumbnail image of host Denise Thomas with Text #49 The Viral Teacher Who Tried CrossFit and small screen in screen image of guest Dr. Fatty Acid completing a deadlift at her gym

The Story Behind the Viral @When_Nerds_Teach – Meet Dr. Fatty Acid (EP. 049)

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On November 3, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

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

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.

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Thumbnail with James Hobart, Adrian Conway, Craig Howard with the text LIVE PODCAST Why are competitors important?

[LIVE] The Value of Competition (EP. 044)

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On October 31, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

James Hobart, Adrian Conway, and Craig Howard discuss competition within the fitness world. They share their perspectives on the role of rivals and how it impacts their community. The conversation explores both external competition and healthy rivalry among affiliates.

Let us know what you think –> podcasts@crossfit.com

Follow us on YouTube to join us every Thursday at 10 am PT.

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Jocelyn Rylee, Josh Plosker, and Zia Rohrbaugh with CrossFIt Medical Society logo and the words THE NEXT REVOLUTION

[CFMS SERIES] The Healthcare Revolution Starts in The Affiliate (EP. 047)

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On October 27, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

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

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.

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Seth PAge, Dave castro, and James Hobart featured behind text that reads Are the CrossFit Games and CrossFit Incompatible? LIVE PODCAST

[LIVE] The Relationship Between the CrossFit Games and CrossFit (EP. 046)

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On October 24, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

Are the CrossFit Games CrossFit? 

How does the test for the Fittest on Earth fit into the grand scheme of CrossFit as a brand? 
Where are the pain points and synergies between the tip of the spear and the rest of the community? 
The sport expression of CrossFit is a vital one, but how is it best incorporated into the brand so it serves the entire CrossFit ecosystem?  

James Hobart, Dave Castro, and special guest Seth Page discuss this relationship and where they see the Games contributing to or detracting from the CrossFit brand.

Let us know what you think –> podcasts@crossfit.com

Follow us on YouTube to join us every Thursday at 10 am PT.

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Thumbnail image of Calley Means with an image of healthy foods surrounding a pile of pills and the CrossFit Medical Society Logo with the text Public Health's Cultural Awakening

[CFMS SERIES] Calley Means and the Fight to Fix a Broken Healthcare System (EP. 045)

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On October 20, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

This marks the fifth episode of a special CrossFit Podcast collaboration with the CrossFit Medical Society. 

Calley Means is a former food and pharma lobbyist turned healthcare reform advocate. He co-authored “Good Energy” with his sister, Dr. Casey Means, and co-founded TrueMed, a company working to make root-cause health solutions like exercise and nutrition eligible for HSA/FSA dollars. 

In this conversation, Calley explains why our healthcare model is built to manage disease instead of preventing it, how CrossFit and lifestyle interventions are effective, and what policies and cultural shifts could finally turn the tide against chronic illness.

Topics Covered

  • Why the U.S. healthcare system is built to manage, not prevent, disease
  • The role of food policy, SNAP reform, and FDA guidelines in chronic illness
  • Calley’s personal journey from industry lobbyist to health advocate
  • The promise of functional medicine, biomarkers, and personalized care
  • TrueMed and making fitness/food eligible for HSA/FSA healthcare dollars

Resources Mentioned

Community Highlight

Nick Johnson founded CrossFit Liminal, a nonprofit affiliate outside Atlanta serving one of the most diverse refugee communities in the U.S. What started in his garage with five members from Syria and Nepal, has grown into programs for Afghan women, refugee youth training for free, and community events like “Ruck for Refugees.”

As Nick puts it: “Trauma gets you out of your body. CrossFit gets you back in it.”

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

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

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