Tag: CrossFit

2025 CrossFit Games Recap on the CrossFit Podcast with Denise Thomas, Adrian Conway, and James Hobart

[LIVE] 2025 CrossFit Games: Top Moments and What It Means Going Forward (EP. 027)

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On August 14, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

Catch up on this livestream from August 8th, 2025.

The 2025 CrossFit Games delivered big moments — but more than that, they offered perspective.

In this conversation, Denise Thomas, James Hobart, and Adrian Conway reflect on what stood out and what it means moving forward. The discussion goes beyond the leaderboard to focus on the connection between the Games and the larger CrossFit community — what we saw this year, how it resonated inside and outside the arena, and how we can build on it.

This conversation explores what the Games can and should mean for CrossFit’s future — not just for elite sport, but for the everyday affiliate, the larger mission, and the community that makes it all work.

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CrossFit Podcast with EC Synkowski and Denise Thomas, Episode 026

CrossFit and Food Neurosis: ‘There is a Point in Nutrition at Which You Can Be Done’ (EP. 026)

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On August 5, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

EC Synkowski joins Denise Thomas to talk about CrossFit, food, and how to cut through the confusion. EC is the founder of OptimizeMe Nutrition and the creator of the 800g Challenge, but her insights go way beyond a single method. They cover why some of us slide into food neurosis, how to know when your diet is actually “done,” and the biggest mistakes people make when chasing health. 

EC also discusses the role of processed foods, challenges common rhetoric about carbs and seed oils, and breaks down her 10 principles of nutrition, which serve as the backbone of her Three Pillars Method. This is an episode about simplifying nutrition, ditching dogma, and learning to trust what works.

Episode Topics

  • Food neurosis and how to bounce back
  • How to know when your nutrition is “done”
  • The role of processed foods in modern health problems
  • The power of simplicity and sustainability in diet design
  • EC’s Three Pillars Method and how it builds on CrossFit’s foundation
  • The 10 principles of nutrition 

Resources Mentioned

Community Highlight

Aaron Hoff is using CrossFit to change more than lives — he’s changing an entire island.

Born and raised on Kauaʻi, Aaron knows the grip of addiction firsthand. By his early 20s, he was in active addiction and suicidal. But one Christmas Eve, he hit a turning point. He’s now 27 years sober.

In 2013, he opened his first CrossFit gym. Today, through the Keala Foundation, he runs two affiliates focused on keeping kids out of the cycle he escaped.

The gyms are free for youth. Each class starts and ends with a “word of the day” — like honesty or integrity — and a coach-led reflection. “Words are the tools that help you process trauma,” Aaron says. “If you don’t understand the language, you’re lost.”

He reaches over 500 kids a year. Some stay for years. Some become coaches.

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

Share Your Thoughts: Let us know what you think about the podcast and how we can improve here or email us at podcasts@crossfit.com.

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CrossFit Podcast with James Hobart and Denise Thomas, Episode 025

“There’s No Going Back. Things are Only Moving Forward.” – James Hobart on the Future of CrossFit (EP. 025)

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On July 29, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

James Hobart has been part of CrossFit since the early days. He’s competed at the Games, demoed for CrossFit’s movement videos, worked on Seminar Staff, and spent nearly two decades watching the culture evolve. In this episode, he sits down with Denise Thomas to talk candidly about the state of CrossFit — and whether it’s lost its soul.

From what it felt like to walk away from competition, to the mindset shift required to keep training into middle age, James opens up about what keeps him coming back to the gym and why he still believes in the methodology. They discuss the difference between nostalgia and stagnation, why CrossFit’s messiness is part of the magic, and what it really means to “teach yourself out of a job.

TOPICS COVERED

  • Has CrossFit lost its soul?
  • The evolution of CrossFit.com and community norms
  • Competing as a masters athlete
  • The shift from performance to purpose
  • Letting go of dogma and embracing change
  • Making peace with “CrossFit Grumpy”
  • Why small goals matter more than big ones

RESOURCES MENTIONED

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT

Mark and Dana Harris are the founders of Equip Products — a company based in rural Illinois that’s making CrossFit more accessible for adaptive and neuro athletes around the world. 

It started with a conversation at the CrossFit Games. Kevin Ogar mentioned the need for better gear to train from his wheelchair, and that led to their first product: the lap mat.
⠀
Today, Equip offers nearly 150 tools that help athletes train safely and independently, regardless of ability. 

For Mark and Dana, this isn’t just business — it’s a way to make sure no one hears, “That’s it. You’re done.” Their message is simple: You’re not done. You’re just getting started.

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

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CrossFit Podcast with Adrian Conway and Denise Thomas, Episode 024

“It’s About More Than You” — Adrian Conway on the Engine That Props Up the Sport of CrossFit (EP. 024)

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On July 22, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

Adrian Conway has competed at the highest level of CrossFit, coaches athletes of all levels, is a Seminar Staff member, and a CrossFit Games commentator. In this conversation with Denise Thomas, he explains the symbiotic relationship between the CrossFit Games and CrossFit affiliates.

Adrian offers a perspective on how the sport has evolved and how the professionalism of the sport depends on the very athletes who participate in it. This episode is about the future of CrossFit, the spirit of the community, and bridging the gap between the sport and the affiliate.

Topics Included

  • Adrian’s evolution from competitor to coach, and what he learned in that transition
  • The cultural evolution of the CrossFit Games
  • How competitors can help their own future by integrating with their affiliates
  • How competitors could gain an advantage through an understanding of the methodology 

Resources Mentioned

Community Highlight

Carolyne Prevost is a three-time CrossFit Games athlete (four times after this year), a former pro hockey player, an 11-time national champion across four sports, and a full-time high school teacher in Sarnia, Canada. But what sets her apart isn’t just the accolades. It’s the impact.

In 2018, Carolyne launched CrossFit GAGE — an affiliate inside her school — to teach students how to move well, take care of themselves, and build real confidence. She’s proof that being elite doesn’t mean being out of reach. It means showing up, coaching, and leading by example.

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

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This Rehab Has a Secret Weapon: CrossFit (EP. 023)

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On July 15, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

Episode Description Angie Manson is the CEO of Elevate Addiction Services, a residential rehab program that integrates CrossFit into daily life. In this conversation with Denise Thomas, Angie opens up about her own recovery, what CrossFit gave her, and why every coach needs to understand addiction.

Angie explains how EAS operates — from an on-site CrossFit affiliate to community classes to post-rehab support — and what she’s learned after helping thousands of people rebuild their lives. This episode is about fitness, but it’s also about humanity, hope, and second chances.

Topics Included

  • Angie’s story of addiction, recovery, and finding CrossFit
  • How Elevate Addiction Services integrates CrossFit
  • Why structure, challenge, and community matter in rehab
  • The coach’s role in supporting people in recovery
  • Building trust, habits, and a new identity
  • How affiliates and coaches can get involved

Resources Mentioned

  • Elevate Addiction Services (Santa Cruz + Tahoe)
  • CrossFit EAS (on-site affiliate)
  • The Phoenix
  • Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
  • Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

RESOURCES FOR ADDICTION

Elevate Addiction Services – https://elevaterehab.org/

Immediate Help

  • SAMHSA National Helpline (U.S.): 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
    Free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral and information.
    https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

Treatment & Recovery Resources

  • Substance Abuse Treatment Locator (SAMHSA):
    Find nearby treatment facilities for substance use and mental health issues.
    https://findtreatment.gov
  • Shatterproof:
    A nonprofit focused on science-based addiction resources and stigma reduction.
    https://www.shatterproof.org
  • Partnership to End Addiction:
    Offers support for families navigating a loved one’s substance use.
    https://drugfree.org

Peer Support Communities

Community Highlight

Tammi Saunders is the head coach at The Barbell Saves Project — a nonprofit CrossFit affiliate in Phoenix, Arizona, offering free classes to anyone in recovery.

The only requirements: 48 hours sober and a commitment to keep showing up.⠀Every coach on staff, including Tammi, is in recovery. They run five community classes a day, plus sessions for sober-living homes and treatment centers. But fitness is just the beginning.

What they’re building is trust, discipline, and integrity – under stress, in community.Tammi has helped develop seven Level 1 trainers through the program, many straight out of prison or early sobriety. She’s built a trauma-informed culture rooted in empathy and consent.

She still remembers walking into a gym for the first time: smoking two packs a day, struggling with disordered eating, unsure what came next. Now she’s a Certified CrossFit Level 3 Trainer, trauma-informed, and a Masters Games athlete.“If I can become this version of myself,” she says, “anyone can.”

This is what it looks like to hold the door open for the next person.Know someone you think deserves to be highlighted? Nominate them here.

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The Story Behind CrossFit’s Celebrity Trainer (EP.020)

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On June 24, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

Conor Murphy has worn many hats: Navy serviceman, CrossFit Games athlete, Seminar Staff trainer, and, now, head of Big Night Fitness and affiliate owner in Boston, Massachusetts. In this raw and real conversation with Denise Thomas, Conor opens up about the moments that nearly broke him — and how CrossFit gave him a second chance.

From losing his shot at a military career, to training celebrities on tour buses, to building a space where community comes first, Conor reflects on the power of mentorship, growth through failure, and what it means to truly live your values. His message to aspiring coaches and owners? Focus on people, not optics. Do the work. Stay humble. Keep showing up.3. 

Topics Included

  • Military injury and finding direction through CrossFit
  • Competing at the Games and becoming a Seminar Staff member
  • Coaching celebrities vs. everyday athletes
  • Building community at Big Night Fitness
  • Lessons in leadership, ego, and growing up
  • Launching an affiliate with purpose and perspective

Resources Mentioned

  • CrossFit PB (Pacific Beach)
  • CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course
  • CrossFit Seminar Staff
  • WOD on the Waves
  • Big Night Entertainment Group
  • CrossFit TILT

Community Highlight

In 2023, Ernesto Reyes saw a gap: no CrossFit events in Mexico offered adaptive divisions. So he decided to change that.As the owner of CrossFit Cholula, Ernesto didn’t start with experience in adaptive training — just a love for competition and a drive to make the sport more inclusive. He visited a local rec center and invited adaptive athletes to try CrossFit. Over 20 showed up. A few kept training. That first competition changed everything.

Now, he coaches more than 10 adaptive athletes regularly. And the mission has become clear: this is his calling.As his late father once said, “Maybe Ernesto found the meaning of life — helping people.”This year, his gym is launching Personas con Determinación, a fundraiser to support competition costs. Together, they’ll hike one of Mexico’s highest peaks to prove a point: accomplishment doesn’t require perfection — it requires determination.

Follow the journey. Or join the climb.

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

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Your Sleep Questions Answered With an Army Neuroscientist (EP.019) 

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On June 17, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

Dr. Major Allison Brager is a neuroscientist, a two-time CrossFit Games athlete, and one of the military’s leading experts on sleep and circadian biology. In this episode, host Denise Thomas and co-host Jocelyn Rylee dig in to what happens in the body during sleep, how your chronotype affects your performance, and the importance of sleep for recovery.

They also unpack strategic caffeine dosing, sleep myths, and the direct impact sleep has on your hormones, recovery, mood, and even long-term health risks. Whether you’re training hard or just trying to function better day-to-day, this conversation will change how you think about rest.

Topics Included

  • What actually happens when we sleep
  • Chronotypes, circadian rhythms, and ideal training times
  • Sleep banking, shift work, and real-world application
  • How sleep affects hormones, mood, and injury risk
  • The impact of caffeine, alcohol, and blue light
  • Strategies for better sleep: environment, timing, and habits

Resources Mentioned

  • Dr. Brager’s book: “Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain”
  • Power Monkey Camp
  • CrossFit Open
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia
  • Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire
  • National Sleep Foundation

Community Highlight

Jeff Winchester is a middle school counselor just outside of San Diego, California. In 2024, he launched CrossFit La Presa — a nonprofit school affiliate created with full support from his district and school leadership.

La Presa Middle School serves a largely underserved community, where many students face challenges outside the classroom. For Jeff, this program isn’t just about fitness — it’s about offering strength, structure, and connection to kids who need it most.

The results are powerful: students are gaining confidence, teachers are rediscovering their health, and kids who once stayed on the sidelines are now trying out for sports. Jeff says launching CrossFit La Presa has been one of the most meaningful moments of his 15-year career in education.⠀

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

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Let us know what you think about the podcast and how we can improve here.

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Meet CrossFit’s Most Experienced Seminar Staff Member: Chuck Carswell (EP. 002)

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On February 18, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

Chuck Carswell has been part of CrossFit for nearly two decades, making an impact as a coach, mentor, and longtime member of CrossFit’s Seminar Staff. He’s one of the most experienced trainers in the world, having taught thousands of athletes and coaches through the CrossFit Level 1 and Level 2 Certificate Courses.

In this episode, Chuck sits down with Denise Thomas to share his journey — from playing in the NFL to discovering CrossFit and dedicating his career to coaching and education. He reflects on the evolution of CrossFit’s training methodology, the lessons he’s learned from coaching at every level, and his philosophy of “Big Team, Little Me.”

Topics Covered:

Chuck’s early athletic career and time with the Miami Dolphins
His introduction to CrossFit and first experience with the workout Helen
The evolution of CrossFit’s trainer seminars and credentialing 
The impact CrossFit has had on the fitness industry 

Media & Resources Mentioned:

CrossFit Training and Certifications – Learn more about the Level 1 and Level 2 Courses: CrossFit Training
CrossFit Open Registration – Sign up and test your fitness: games.crossfit.com
What Is Fitness? (2002) – The foundational CrossFit Journal article defining CrossFit’s approach to fitness.
Chuck as a Dawg – Watch the play Denise references

Community Spotlight:

This week, we’re highlighting the team at RISE, a platform dedicated to supporting women in the CrossFit community. RISE provides mentorship, resources, and opportunities for female athletes, coaches, and gym owners, helping them thrive in both fitness and leadership roles.
Learn more about RISE and how to get involved at riseathletes.org or follow them on social @rise_athletes_org.

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

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Nicole Carroll and Preserving the Heart of CrossFit (EP. 001)

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On February 11, 2025

In The CrossFit Podcast

In this episode of The CrossFit Podcast, Nicole Carroll sits down with Denise Thomas to reflect on her 20-year journey — from how she discovered CrossFit in 2004 and the lessons she’s learned over two decades, to why she believes CrossFit is more relevant now than ever.

Topics Covered:
Nicole’s fitness journey and introduction to CrossFit
The evolution of her role within CrossFit
The importance of preserving CrossFit’s foundational principles
The relevance of CrossFit today

Resources and Media Mentioned:
CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course
CrossFit for Health Summit – Own Your Health
Nicole’s Jedi Knight Speech
Magic of CrossFit – Content and Resources for Affiliates

Community Highlight:
This week, we recognize Keefa Hawkins of CrossFit Iconz in Lilburn, Georgia, for her work with Next Steps Fitness and Rehabilitation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting disabled veterans. Next Steps provides free CrossFit classes, nutrition guidance, and social support to help veterans rediscover their strength, resilience, and sense of community.

To learn more and support Next Steps, visit vetsteps.org

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