I’m teaming up with two CrossFit OGs for this episode, comin’ atcha from Wodapalooza weekend! As veterans of Regionals, the Games, podcasting in the fitness community, gym-owning, and everything in between, Blair and Ben need no introduction—which is why they don’t get one. We get right down to airing our unfiltered opinions on Sectionals, Ben Smith’s post about event programming, Rich Froning’s shoes, Jen Widerstrom, and why the CrossFit community brings together the most awesome people. 🤗

We go way back to the beginning of literally everything: our early gym days, competing, what our moms thought good nutrition looked like, training for the Olympics, starting podcasts, starting families, and what we used to dream about when we were kids. Flash forward to today: we’re setting new goals, climbing new mountains, and living far, far away from Jersey. 🏔

Don’t worry, it’s not just the best shit-shooting session you’ve ever gotten to listen in to. It’s also packed with useful tips for business-building, training safely, achieving epic things, and staying relevant even after you’re not actively competing anymore. Plus, if you’ve ever wondered whether other CrossFitters are unimpressed with HQ’s sweethearts, now is your chance to find out. 😉

Enjoy!

-Ryan

0:30 Who’s the real CrossFit OG here

7:30 The people who win the CrossFit Games are not that interesting

11:00 Ben Smith’s thoughts on Sectionals

14:00 The timers are all fucked

19:30 CrossFit is getting generic and it’s lame

21:00 The Jamaican bobsled team is actually really funny

24:30 CrossFit Anywhere, and the shift back to mindfulness

29:30 Does anyone care about scores anymore?

33:00 Passion is more important than your career choice

37:00 What happened to Matt Chan?

38:30 How do you mobilize a following? Leverage your network. 

45:00 CrossFit’s cool because the people are real

51:00 This is where we talk shit about Jersey

52:30 What’s next?

55:00 Ryan, the DFC, and a $260,000 room service bill

1:01:00 Beyond the Barbell and the Real CHALK story

1:07:30 Attention spans, and how different social media platforms cater to different situations

1:17:30 Why we all stopped competing

1:25:00 The juice isn’t worth the squeeze, but we still have some unreached fitness goals

1:30:00 Where to find these guys