- Will a Cold Plunge improve your performance and/or recovery?- Are certain things popular for a while & then fade away, like compression gear & physio tape?- Before you experiment with these things it is important to be doing the fundamentals well, like sleep, nutrition & workouts.- Pat & Adrian tackle this topic.

- What if you’re so fast on a workout that you may never set a new PR on it ever again?- What should you do the next time it gets programmed?- Should you do it? Should you skip it? Should you modify it?- Does it still have any training value?- Pat & Adrian tackle this topic.

- A VNR listener has been a member of several CrossFit gyms.- At their old gym, the majority of the members could do the daily workout “Rx’d”.- At their new gym, only the same 3-4 people can do the workout “Rx’d” every day, & one of them is the gym owner who writes the programming.- This listener wants to know what should be taken into consideration when determining what will be considered “Rx’d” at a gym. - Is one of these gyms right & the other wrong?- Pat & Adrian tackle this topic.

- A VNR listener, who is a member of a CrossFit gym, wrote into the VNR team with two questions.- First, if the coaches always utterly destroy the members on workouts, is that motivating or demotivating?- Second, does the whiteboard still have a place in CrossFit?- Pat, Adrian tackle this topic.

- Pat created a definitive step-by-step guide for programming intentional, effective Strength & Conditioning workouts.- This free e-book is 52 pages of highly useful information.- It covers the creation of a 4-week block of training from start to finish.- It is jam packed with charts & tools to help people eliminate biases & identify priorities.- Pat & Adrian discuss the book.

- A VNR listener, who is also a coach, is struggling with their athletes on Heavy Days.- Their athletes do not seem to understand the importance & value of dedicated rest periods.- This coach is hoping to get some insight, guidance & suggestions for improving this situation.- Pat, Adrian tackle this topic.

- Dr. Sean Rockett has been an Orthopedic Surgeon for 20+ years.- He is also an active member of the CrossFit community. - Dr. Rockett discusses tendonitis, rips, tears, arthritis & more.- He gives his opinion on when to simply rest vs seek out medical attention.- Pat, Adrian & Dr. Rockett tackle these topics & more.

- What if you only have a pair of dumbbells, can you get fit?- What if you only have a single dumbbell?- How should you modify barbell workouts for dumbbells?- How do you replace barbell Heavy Days with dumbbells?- Pat & Adrian tackle these topics & more.

- A VNR listener is struggling with arthritis. - Her doctor told her to stop doing CrossFit. She is seeking advice.- Pat is actually dealing with a similar issue & is scheduled to have a total hip replacement.- Pat & Adrian discuss arthritis & the various options for managing it.

- Do supplements actually work? Are they worth the money?- EC Synkowski is the owner of OptimizeMe Nutrition & is a subject matter expert on this topic.- EC, Pat & Adrian discuss Multi-vitamins, BCAA’s, Fish Oil, Creatine, Protein Powder, Caffeine, Powdered Veggie Drinks & much more.

- After repeating benchmark workouts several times it can be fun to modify the workout to make it a new experience for athletes.- Pat & Adrian discuss how to put a fun twist on benchmark workouts.- They describe how to accomplish this through general principles, as well as provide specific workout examples. 

- Gerald Parker is a husband, a father, a CrossFitter & he is also a Judge serving on the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Bench (General Division).- This Division hears all adult felony criminal cases &  civil cases. - Judge Parker has been instrumental in creating programs that use physical fitness to help people get their lives in a positive direction & avoid prison. - He discusses these topics & programs with Pat & Adrian. 

- Dave Durante is a multiple time USA gymnastics national champion and was part of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Team as an alternate. He helped coachStanford University to an NCAA Team Title in 2009. Dave was a lead coach with the CrossFit Gymnastics L1 course from 2013-2015. He also wrote and developed the CrossFit Gymnastics Advanced Course. Dave is co-owner of Power Monkey Fitness and Power Monkey Camp.- Dave discusses his athletic background as well as what led him to CrossFit.- Pat, Adrian & Dave dive into why & how gymnastics plays such a vital role in a well rounded strength & conditioning program.

- David Osorio is the owner of CrossFit South Brooklyn. - This gym was established in 2007 & has undergone countless evolutions.- David shares some of the best practices he has developed over the years to optimize CrossFit in a group setting.- David does not assign an “Rx’d” load for his gym’s workouts. He also has 2 days a week when members have the freedom to choose parts of their workout. - He shares these ideas along with other aspects that make CF South Brooklyn unique & special. - Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

- An athlete has bad shoulders & has undergone multiple surgeries. Overhead movements such as the push jerk seem to do more harm than good.- The athlete feels the movement should be avoided, but their coach believes otherwise.- When, if ever, is it appropriate to stop doing certain movements?- Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

- A rowing athlete was told by their coach that in order to improve they needed to spend more time rowing.- This same rowing coach also told the athlete there was no benefit in strength training or high intensity training.- Pat & Adrian explore the validity of this claim.

- What are good substitutions for pull-ups if you don’t have a pull-up bar?- What are the differences & similarities between pull-ups & chin-ups?- Is one movement better than the other?

- If you have an occupation, like a 1st responder, that requires you to be ready to work at any time, with no warm-up how do you adequately prepare for this?- Should people in this line of work modify the manner in which they train?- Pat & Adrian discuss this topic & more.

- A VNR listener is concerned the programming at their gym is bad & wants to know how to fix the situation.- Pat & Adrian discuss how to evaluate programming.- They talk about the various aspects one should consider when discerning the effectiveness of a program.

- We’ve all had workouts where the weight felt extra heavy or it took much longer than expected.- Bad workouts can negatively affect your confidence, fill you with doubt & have you questioning your training.- What should you do after a “bad” workout to help get yourself back on track physically & mentally?- Pat & Adrian dive into this topic.

- Pat & Adrian discuss a CrossFit Journal article entitled “Foundations”.- This article was published in April 2002. It is full of useful information & explanations of methods that hold true even though 20 years have gone by.

- Chris Hinshaw  is widely considered one of the top endurance coaches in the world.  - He is a 10x Ironman Competitor who has coached 34 CrossFit Games Champions as well as 50+ CrossFit Games Podium Athletes.- Pat & Adrian talk with Chris about the benefits of running, why it works & various strategies to improve your performance.- Chris & Pat created the VNR 1.5 Run Program & discuss what makes it so special & how to use it.

- A VNR listener wants to know if working out will correct poor posture?- This VNR listener says he has poor posture in his neck & shoulders. - He wants to know if he should fix his posture before he begins doing CrossFit?- Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

- Adrian Bozman was the lead programmer who created the events for the 2023 CrossFit Games.- In this episode Adrian walks through all of the events with Pat.- Adrian discusses his thought process & shares unique insights.

- A VNR listener wants to know if gymnastics grips & wrist wraps are necessary?- What purpose do they serve & who should use them?- Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

- A VNR listener is buying an existing gym. The current training staff seems to be “managing” the group classes well, but not actually “coaching” members. The new owner wants to elevate the staff to offer world class coaching. How can this be done?- Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

- A VNR listener asked if coaches should do the same workouts as members?- Pat & Adrian discuss this topic & offer their own perspective.

- A VNR listener asked which workout schedule is better, six 30-minute sessions a week or three 1-hour sessions a week?- This person is a new parent trying to fit as much fitness as possible into their busy schedule.- Pat & Adrian discuss the pros & cons of these two options & offer a 3rd option to consider.

- A VNR listener wrote in asking for an explanation of strict vs kipping movements for the average Joe.- Is one type better or more beneficial than the other?- Should one be given a higher priority than the other?- Do strict movements help kipping movements or is it the other way around?- Pat & Adrian to give their thoughts & opinions on this topic.

- A VNR listener wrote in asking if any specific criteria need to be met in order to call yourself a “CrossFitter”? - Can you scale workouts & be a CrossFitter?- Can you avoid certain movements & still be a CrossFitter?- Pat & Adrian to give their thoughts & opinions on this topic.

- A VNR listener (Eugune Y.) wrote in asking if he should schedule a “deload week” into his training? - He also wanted to know what the potential benefits would be.- Pat & Adrian to give their thoughts & opinions on this topic.

- A VNR listener wrote in saying they believed things making Crossfit prohibitive to people is the price of attending a gym & having to take “on-ramp” classes. - Another VNR listener asked the question “Are CrossFitters athletes?”- Pat & Adrian to give their thoughts & opinions on these topics.

- A VNR listener asked Pat & Adrian to give their thoughts & opinions on working out “For Time” versus “For Quality”.- Another VNR listener asked what to do when some gym members refuse to do certain movements due to philosophical reasons or a fear of injury.

- A VNR listener who is a Police Officer wanted to know how to design a proper fitness test for 1st Responders.- Evaluating the requirements of the profession, programming considerations such as equipment, ease of judging, & much more are discussed.

- A VNR listener wanted to know why some movement standards (like box jumps & wall ball target heights)  seem to be based on gender instead of the individual athlete. - Pat & Adrian give their thoughts on this topic.

- Working out & nutrition go hand in hand, but is one more important than the other?- Pat & Adrian give their thoughts on this topic.

- Hannah, a listener of the VNR podcast, asked if it is possible to get “burned out” on CrossFit & what you can do to move past that feeling.- She has been doing CrossFit for 3 years, but now does not seem to be getting PRs or learning new skills.- She is also recovering from a torn meniscus & just wants to find a way to start enjoying the gym again.- Pat & Adrian give their thoughts on this topic.

- Diane, a listener of the VNR podcast, asked if it is possible for members to learn & improve skills by only attending class, or is additional work outside of class required?- Pat & Adrian give their thoughts on this topic.

- Jackie, a listener of the VNR podcast, plans on opening a gym. They want to know if they should post the upcoming workouts on their website or keep them a secret until the members show up for class?- Pat & Adrian give their thoughts on this topic.- Pat shares the opinions of Nicole Christensen (owner of CrossFit Roots) & Scott Panchik (owner of CrossFit Mentality) on this subject as well.

- What should a coach do if a member is intentionally doing fewer reps to get a faster time on a workout?- Pat & Adrian give their thoughts on this topic.- Pat shares the opinions of Nicole Christensen (owner of CrossFit Roots) & Scott Panchik (owner of CrossFit Mentality) on this subject as well.

- What was the original intent of the CrossFit methodology?- What occupations found CrossFit very useful?- What does preparing for the “unknown & unknowable” really mean?- Pat & Adrian take a walk down memory lane regarding how CrossFit began.

- How many days a week should you work out & what should the schedule be?- Is 3 days working out & 1 day of rest better than 5 days on & 2 days off?- Pat & Adrian answer a question from a listener of the VNR podcast on this topic.

- If a box jump is too high for an athlete should they keep the height & do step-overs or should they reduce the height & jump?- Pat & Adrian answer a question from a listener of the VNR podcast on this topic.- What are the benefits of box jumps & why should someone try to include them in their programming?

- Pat & Adrian interview retired USMC Major Brian Chontosh, aka. “Tosh”.- Tosh talks about mental toughness, the benefits of challenges/adversity & the program he created to help veterans. - Tosh has completed in ultramarathons up to 238 miles in distance, mountain biked for 24 hours, he has done 9 expedition adventure races & rowed across the Atlantic Ocean.- During his time in the military he did several combat deployments & was awarded the Navy Cross.

- Haley Adams started CrossFit when she was only 14 years old. - Now, at 22 years old she has competed at the CrossFit Games 7 times.- Haley discusses how being one of the top competitors in the world was not all glory & success.- She openly shares with Pat & Adrian her struggles to deal with the pressure she put on herself as well as her battle with an eating disorder.- Haley explains the steps she is taking to put herself on a positive path mentally & physically moving forward.

- Joe Pangallo is one of the owners of CrossFit Spring Hill.- Joe tells Pat & Adrian how he used episodes of Varied Not Random to help keep two members from quitting. - Pat, Adrian & Joe discuss these stories, but they also explore many other topics & challenges faced by affiliate owners.

- Pat interviews Dale King, the owner of PSKC CrossFit.- Dale uses his gym as a way to help addicts during their road to recovery. - Pat & Dale discuss the opioid crisis & how CrossFit is making a positive impact in the lives of people trying to overcome substance abuse issues.

Adrian Bozman is the Director of the CrossFit Games and did the Open Test programming this year. Pat interviews Adrian about each of the 2023 CrossFit Open workouts & the programming process behind them.

- A VNR listener asked, “Does CrossFit make you less athletic?”- The listener also asked how to program to get out of the up/down & forward/back planes we often train in.- Pat & Adrian explore these questions.

- Should you pace a workout or just go full send?- Is one strategy “better” than the other?- Pat & Adrian dive into this question.

- Laurence Shahlaei has competed 11 times at the World’s Strongest Man.- He won Europe’s Strongest Man in 2016, he was the Ultimate Strongman World Champion in 2016, he’s been Britain’s Strongest man twice & won UK’s Strongest Man in 2017.- Pat & Laurence bridge the gaps between Strongman & CrossFit to find common ground.- Laurence talks about training to be one of the strongest people on the planet & what it really takes.- Pat & Laurence also discuss his successful journey to lose 100 pounds & improve his health & fitness.

- An interview with Dr. Nathan Jenkins.- Pat & Adrian discuss the relationship between CrossFit & exercise science with Dr. Jenkins, who has a PHD in this field.- CrossFit, exercise science, pros & cons of clinical studies, energy systems & much more is covered in this highly informative discussion.

- Big picture concepts regarding coaching & training Masters athletes.- Things to consider if you are a Masters athlete.- Should Masters athletes have different programming?- One day everyone will stop getting Pr’s, what then becomes the point of training?- Pat & Adrian tackle these topics & others.

- What are the key elements of an effective warm-up?- What are the benefits of a warm-up?- How should you create a warm-up?- What are the key elements of an effective cool down?- What are the benefits of a cool down?- How should you create a cool down?- Pat & Adrian walk through these topics using the hero workout “DT” as an example.

Common arguments against CrossFit are discussed.The criticisms covered in this episode are: "CrossFit encourages sloppy form.""CrossFit trainers are not qualified to coach people.""Doing Olympic lifts for time is a disaster.""GHD sit-ups are destructive to your back.""The sumo deadlift high pull will injure your shoulders."Pat & Adrian talk about these topics & others.

- Someone posted a comment stating they only do kipping pull-ups because they will show up in the CrossFit Open.- This comment sparked the idea of this episode dedicated to kipping.- What is kipping? What is the point of it? Why would someone choose to kip a movement instead of doing it strict?- These questions & more are covered by Pat & Adrian.

- A VNR listener posted the question, “How important is it for the coaches to understand the intended stimulus of a workout? When should an athlete scale the workout UP?”- Pat & Adrian discuss intended stimulus, modifying workouts & scaling UP.

- A VNR listener posted the question, “How much intentional hypertrophy training should CrossFitters at different levels perform?”  - Pat & Adrian discuss this topic & also take a deep dive into accessory work.

- Rich is a new trainer with less than one year’s experience who is about to start coaching at a new gym.  - He posted a question asking Pat & Adrian for recommendations to assist him in becoming a better coach & how to make a good impression at his new job.- Pat & Adrian discuss this topic in depth & offer perspective, tips & solutions that apply not only to being a coach, but to other industries as well as life in general.

- A very common question is…”Can one workout a day make you strong?”- Pat & Adrian cover this topic.- What is a useful level of strength for everyday life is also discussed.

- Pat & Adrian speak with Dr. Katina Thorton.- Dr. Thorton is an Anesthesiologist, a wife, a mother of 6 children.- She has been doing CrossFit since 2011 & she holds a Level 2 certificate.- She has volunteered on the medical staff of numerous events such as the CrossFit Games & the Rogue Invitational.- Pat, Adrian & Katina discuss the success & challenges of trying to open the eyes of the medical community to CrossFit.

- Pat & Adrian speak with Greg Hammond from Concept 2.- The most commonly asked questions about the C2 rower are answered.- What is the damper? What does it do? - What is the drag factor?- Rowing for meters vs calories.- What maintenance is required?- How did the Concept 2 rower become such a staple of CrossFit training?

- Pat & Adrian answer a question from a VNR viewer/listener.- The question “How do you convince someone NOT to workout?” is answered. - Omar is a full time teacher who feels better to face the day when each morning starts with a workout. - He knows that taking days off is important, but he struggles to let himself rest.- Pat & Adrian tackle this topic while providing insight, recommendations & guidance.

- Pat & Adrian discuss some of the key aspects of communication, messaging & public speaking.- Being a coach or trainer involves speaking to various groups of people & this episode provides tips & tricks to communicate effectively.- Brevity, detailed messaging, knowing your audience & swearing are all covered.

- Pat & Adrian build off of the groundwork laid in VNR episode 82.- This episode focuses on constructing one complete workout from start to finish based on the criteria identified in Part 1.- How & why this workout was programmed is explained.- They share useful and actionable steps other programmers can benefit & learn from.

- Pat provides an unprecedented look into how he programs some of the most elegant & effective workouts.- He shares useful and actionable steps other programmers can benefit & learn from.- Adrian helps guide the conversation, offering insight, perspective & opinion along the way.

- The most common & popular questions from women are tackled in this episode. - Pregnancy, periods, peeing, menopause & more topics are covered.- Annie Sakamoto, Kelly Greco & Haley Jouras Palermo join Pat & Adrian to provide a female perspective on these topics.

- Pat & Adrian answer a question from a VNR listener regarding “Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness”. - They discuss what “DOMS” is, what causes it, how to deal with it & much more.

- Pat & Adrian interview David Hippensteel. - Dave has been active his entire life, but he did not begin CrossFit until he was 55 years old. - He is currently 66 years old, has 4 kids who are now adults, he runs two dental practices, he’s been to the CrossFit Games 9 times & has earned multiple gold medals.- Pat & Adrian pick Dave’s brain for lessons learned regarding longevity.

- Pat & Adrian answer a question from a VNR listener. - Does always being the last person to finish a workout mean your fitness is not improving?

- Pat & Adrian interview Todd Widman, an expert in training kids using CrossFit.- Todd shares his wealth of knowledge & experience covering the “do’s & don’t” when it comes to training kids.- Intensity, heavy lifting, technique & much more if covered.

- A VNR community member posted a comment stating their flexibility has greatly increased through CrossFit, but now they are overwhelmed trying to figure out what mobility protocols are worthwhile.- Pat & Adrian tackle this topic based on real world experience as well as trial and error.- Simple metrics are given regarding how to increase & maintain flexibility. 

- Consistent training is critically important, Pat & Adrian tell you why.- They discuss how you can achieve extremely high levels of fitness through a shockingly small amount of time each day. - How & why the daily decisions you make regarding nutrition & fitness have a profound impact on your entire life.- There is an “ideal” we all strive for in fitness, but you may have to modify the “ideal” in order to be consistent. - Adrian’s perspective on what he thinks is the best training program.

- Pat & Adrian discuss how to identify if a new movement is worthwhile to include in your training or simply a “party trick”.- General maintenance of common garage gym equipment is covered as well.

- Pat & Adrian share funny & insightful stories from years of traveling around the world.- Workouts are discussed along with travel tips & plenty of laughs.

- Pat & Adrian talk how CrossFit training can serve the needs of military members.- They discuss if modifying traditional CrossFit is necessary and if so, how to do it.- Honest opinions on the subject are given from active duty & former military members.

- Pat interviews Adrian about each Individual Event at the 2022 CrossFit Games.

- Pat & Adrian discuss the average times & loads on the most popular workouts & lifts.- Fran, DT, Cindy, 1RM Squat, Deadlift, Snatch, Clean 7 Jerk, Murph & much more.

- Pat & Boz answer questions from the community.- Should Gym owners care how their members look or just how they perform?- What to do if your in-laws violate the “food rules” you have for your kids.- Advice to a new programmer with a broken heart.- How often should a garage gym athlete repeat benchmarks?- How to approach a gym owner about poor coaching.

- Pat & Boz share their favorite CrossFit Journal articles/videos.- Pat discusses an old video about the productive application of force.- Adrian talks about a couple of his favorite articles covering garage gyms & old school fitness tests.

- Pat’s daughter just turned one-year old & free time is rare.- Pat gives us an update on how he has continued to make health & fitness a priority during a very busy phase of life.- Adrian & Pat both share tips & tricks to help you get in workouts when time & energy are limited.

- Is it ever appropriate for a coach to “fire” a client?- Should trainers charge members for extra coaching once the class ends?

- A VNR viewer asked why he should hold himself to a full range of motion standard when he sees athletes getting away with poor ROM during a competition? - Pat & Adrian address this topic from both a personal and a physiological standpoint.

- How can Gym Owners get members to show up for “unpopular” workouts?- Pat & Adrian answer this question from a viewer/listener of Varied Not Random.- Several tips, tricks & strategies are given to assist gym owners in solving this problem.

- How can you maintain fitness as much as possible when you are with people who do not work out?- Pat & Adrian answer this question from a viewer/listener of Varied Not Random.- Real life examples are given to squeeze in effective workouts that require minimum time and equipment.

- Dan Bailey is a 5 time CrossFit Games athlete.- He finished in the Top 10 every year he competed.- Pat & Adrian chat with Dan about his incredible journey as a CrossFit competitor.- Dan shares his advice for people looking to compete & his lessons learned. 

- Gym owners meeting up & sharing information has tremendous professional value.- View other gyms in your local area as allies.- How & why you want to create a community not only within your gym, but with other gyms as well.

- You need to pick someone to face an unknown physical challenge & you are given 3 athletes to choose from.- Athlete “A” has a 275 pound full snatch.- Athlete “B” has a sub 7:00 2k row.- Athlete “C” can do 30 strict pull-ups.- This is all the information you have about the athletes or the physical challenge. Who would you choose and why?- Pat & Adrian discuss this topic.

- Should romantic relationships between a gym’s coaching staff & clients be permitted or prohibited?- Pat & Adrian answer this question based on a survey they conducted with multiple gym owners.

- How do you know when it is time to quit or take a break from CrossFit?- Pat & Adrian answer this question from someone who describes themselves as burned out, jaded & injured.

- The path to achieving your goals can have its ups and downs.- Pat & Adrian discuss the most common reasons people fail to obtain their fitness goals.

- Pat & Adrian respond to a question from the community.- Charlie started CrossFit at 43 years old, he is currently 46.- Charlie’s friend, who has a degree in kinesiology, advised him not to perform a 1RM deadlift at his age due to the risk of injury outweighing the potential benefit. - Pat & Adrian give their opinion on this topic.

- Pat & Adrian answer questions from members of the community.- Can every workout really be modified to meet every client’s needs?- What can athletes expect from a General Physical Preparedness program?- How can someone incorporate skill work into a busy week?

- Pat & Adrian discuss “Odd Objects”.- They cover what they are & how to use them in your training.

- Pat & Adrian respond to a comment from an athlete who started CrossFit later in life.- This athlete does not do many of the “complex” movements often found in CrossFit such as muscle-ups, handstand walking, etc.- Pat & Adrian explain how you can modify CrossFit as needed to fit your unique situation.- Excluding certain movements does not mean you won’t be able to find an effective alternative that fits your personal fitness journey. 

- Pat & Adrian respond to a question from a 50 year old athlete looking to regain overhead strength & stability after surgery for a torn rotator cuff & biceps tendon.- Proper mindset for recovering from an injury is discussed.- Adrian explains his guiding principles of “strict & slow” as well as “fresh before fatigued.”- Pat presents a list of movements that worked well for him after injuring his shoulder in a motorcycle wreck.

- Pat & Adrian respond to a question from the community about sprinting.- Is there a certain age when athletes should stop sprinting?- What are the benefits of sprinting?- Warming up to help avoid pulled hamstrings is discussed.- Modifications & substitutions for foot sprints are given.

- Pat & Adrian respond to a question from the community. - Jessica is an affiliate owner in her 40’s. She’s been doing CrossFit for about 10 years & these days PR’s are very rare.- Pat & Adrian each discuss why this may be happening & offer tips, guidance & perspective to help Jessica get back on track.

- Pat & Adrian respond to a question from the community, “Which movements are “under-coached?”.- Pat & Adrian each discuss the movements they feel often do not get the coaching attention they deserve.

- Pat & Adrian respond to a question from the community, “How should you introduce someone new to CrossFit?”.- Adrian has a multi-step strategy he feels will set anyone up for success.- Pat takes a different approach and offers various ways to have discussions around certain topics/concerns that new people frequently have.

- Pat & Adrian explain the difference between Relative & Mathematical Intensity.- Real world examples are given to help understand the importance of both.- They discuss how they decide what level of intensity is appropriate for any given workout. - Focusing on correlates of intensity is not the most effective path to increase your fitness.

- Pat & Adrian interview Nicole Christensen, the owner of CrossFit Roots in Boulder, Colorado.- CF Roots began in 2009 in a one-car garage & has grown into a 5,000 square foot gym.- Nicole is a subject matter expert on developing some of the best coaches in the world.- She has created systems to ensure her members receive the experience they deserve & that her training staff remains top notch.- Nicole has also engineered her business in a way that provides a true career path for her coaches, which includes health care & an IRA.

- Sometimes there is a difference between the meals people post on social media & how they really eat.- Pat & Adrian reveal what their daily nutrition actually looks like.- Breakfast, lunch, dinner & treats are all discussed with complete honesty.

- A gym owner made the decision that men are not allowed to take their shirts off during workouts. - This gym owner asked for feedback as to whether or not this decision was correct.- Adrian & Pat address this topic in the broader context of making decisions that impact the culture in your gym.

- Pat & Adrian whether or not heart rate is an accurate measure of intensity. - The origins of max heart rate are discussed, as well as its application to athletes.- They also talk about what is considered to be the best way to measure intensity.

- Pat & Adrian discuss how long your rest periods should be for interval training.- The phrase “Rest as needed” is demystified & explained. - They cover why the length of rest should vary depending on intent of the workout & what you are specifically trying to improve. - Supporting data is provided by the CrossFit Journal article 56 entitled, “Rest & Recovery in Interval-Based Exercise”.

- Adrian & Pat each give their top 3 favorite workouts.- They discuss what makes each workout special & why it made the list.- Honorable mentions are given to several other workouts that finished just outside of their top 3.

- Minimal space in your house, apartment or garage is all you need for fitness.- What are the essential pieces of equipment when space is limited?- Adrian explains his multi-step process to assess your gear & being programming for yourself.- Pat & Adrian give examples of ways to modify/replace movements if you don’t have common gear like a pull-up bar, squat rack, jump rope, etc.

- Are Heavy Days more important than other training days?- Why do CrossFit workouts assign a prescribed loading instead of using percentages?- Adrian & Pat share their experience and opinions on these topics.

- Adrian & Pat discuss various types of supplemental workout gear in hopes of figuring out what is necessary and what’s not.- They discuss Olympic lifting shoes, weight belts, chalk, wrist wraps, gymnastics grips, tape, lifting straps, knee sleeves, knee wraps and mouth guards. - What are the claimed benefits of  these items?- Should you use them and if so, why and when?

- Adrian & Pat discuss all aspects of scaling & modifying workouts.- What is “Scaling”?- Why should someone scale a workout?- How does it work & benefit the athlete?- Who should scale & how often?- Can scaling a workout be done incorrectly?

- Adrian & Pat conclude their discussion & exploration of the various models of fitness from the “What is Fitness?” article which was published in 2002.- The first model, The 10 General Physical Skills was covered in VNR episode 32.- The second model, “The Hopper” was covered in VNR episode 34.- The third model, “The Metabolic Pathways” was covered in VNR 35.- This episode discussed the fourth & final model of fitness, “The “Sickness, Wellness, Fitness Continuum”.- What is the “Sickness, Wellness, Fitness Continuum”? How does it relate to the other models of fitness? What does it tell us? These questions & much more are answered.

- Adrian & Pat continue their discussion & exploration of the various models of fitness from the “What is Fitness?” article which was published in 2002.- The first model, The 10 General Physical Skills was covered in VNR episode 32.- The second model, “The Hopper” was covered in VNR episode 34. In today’s show they discuss “The Metabolic Pathways”, which is the third model.- What are the metabolic pathways? How do they relate to fitness? What do they tell us? Should they guide our training? These questions & much more are answered.

- Adrian & Pat continue their discussion & exploration of the various models of fitness from the “What is Fitness?” article which was published in 2002.- The first model, The 10 General Physical Skills was covered in VNR episode 32. In today’s show they discuss “The Hopper”, which is the second model.- What is the Hopper? How is it used? What does it tell us? Should it guide our training? These questions & much more are answered.

- Adrian & Pat speak with John Mack, the owner of CrossFit All Levels in Windsor, Ontario Canada.- CrossFit All Levels opened in 2013, but in 2018 they started a special class for Adaptive Athletes.- This class originally had one member who had Down Syndrome, but has significantly grown over the years.- Adrian & Pat interview John as he shares how the program started, lessons learned as it evolved, and how it looks today.

- Adrian & Pat talk about “The 10 General Physical Skills” found in the 2002 CrossFit Journal article entitled, “What is Fitness?”.- The 10 General Physical Skills are presented as one of several models used to define fitness.- All 10 skills are identified & defined.- Adrian & Pat discuss if any one skill is more important than another and/or if all 10 are of precisely the same importance. - How the skills are developed is covered, as well as the difference between training & practice. 

- Adrian & Pat talk about the Air Squat, Front Squat, Overhead Squat & the Back Squat.- The benefits and key aspects of each overhead lift are explained.- High bar versus low bar back squat is discussed.- Box Squats & Pause Squats are also covered.

- It has been said, “Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.” Is this statement true and/or fair?- Is being able to perform all possible CrossFit movements necessary to be an effective trainer?- Do great athletes make better coaches?- Adrian gives three actionable steps to help you teach a movement you cannot do.

- Pat already had 2 kids and now he has a 3rd child...a new baby girl that is only 13 weeks old.- Adrian talks with Pat about the ways he has found to keep working out with the added demands of a baby.- Pat’s baby girl, Layne, has Colic. This makes her an extremely challenging baby, which makes finding time to workout even harder.- Working out with minimal time (only 20-30 minutes) is discussed.- How to modify warm-ups, workouts and cool downs is covered.- Changing your mindset regarding fitness during this phase of life is also talked about.

- Adrian & Pat talk with Chris Spealler, the owner of Park City Fit.- Park City Fit is located in Park City, Utah, which is a very expensive location to pay rent or attempt to buy a building.- Chris walks down the path which led him to purchase raw land and build a brand new 10,000 square foot facility for his business.- He faced many obstacles, delays and frustrations during this long process. - Chris candidly shares the pros and cons of this experience as a way to help educate other gym owners who may be considering whether to keep paying rent to someone else or try to become their own landlord.

- Adrian & Pat talk with Joe Masley.Joe is a firefighter, CrossFit Seminar Staff member, co-owner of CrossFit Marshfield, as well as a former Marine.- Joe shares his experience around training to be physically prepared for a demanding occupation such as being a first responder.- Tips & tricks for maintaining fitness while doing shift work are covered.- The pros & cons of training in gear/equipment is discussed.

- Adrian & Pat talk about the Press, Push Press, Push Jerk and Split Jerk.- Set-up and finish positions for each movement are covered, as well as the general mechanics.- Common faults are discussed.- The benefits and key aspects of each overhead lift are explained.

- Adrian & Pat talk with EC Synkowski, the owner of OptimizeMe Nutrition, a company dedicated to making nutrition easy through providing solutions for anyone to improve their weight, health, and overall wellbeing through sustainable diet methods.- EC gives her Top 3 things to focus on with nutrition.- Calories in / Calories out versus hormonal response to macronutrients is covered.- The importance of finding a sustainable way of eating is critical. - Nutrition can be very complicated, but it does not need to be. - Can grains, legumes & dairy be part of a healthy diet?- What are the benefits of weighing & measuring your food?

- Adrian & Pat discuss the major points, differences and benefits of various styles of deadlifting.- Touch & Go versus Deadstop deadlifts.- Deadstop Deadlifts keeping tension vs releasing tension.- Deficit Deadlifts, Sumo Deadlifts and Trap Bar Deadlifts.- Deadlifting in mixed modality workouts vs dedicated heavy days.- Is it okay to drop deadlifts from the top?  

- In this “Mail Bag” episode Boz & Pat answer questions submitted by YOU, the viewer/subscriber.- Should trainers make clients do a “burpee penalty” if they are late for class?- Are rules necessary/helpful in CrossFit gyms?- How important is Presence & Attitude for a coach/trainer?- How can someone working out alone in their garage learn/develop proper technique without a coach?  

- Michele Mootz is a Level 3 CrossFit Trainer and a former physical therapist.- She is an expert at coaching special populations, such as obese, elderly & chronically ill people. - She helped develop a “special populations” program at CrossFit that grew to approximately 300 members, including people weighing almost 500 pounds, as well as athletes over 90 years old.- Michele discusses the program's origins and how she got people comfortable and confident enough to begin CrossFit.- She explains the unique considerations surrounding special populations regarding, warming-up, scaling, going heavy, intensity and much more.

- Michele Mootz is a Level 3 CrossFit Trainer and a former physical therapist.- She is an expert at coaching special populations, such as obese, elderly & chronically ill people. - She helped develop a “special populations” program at CrossFit that grew to approximately 300 members, including people weighing almost 500 pounds, as well as athletes over 90 years old.- Michele discusses the program's origins and how she got people comfortable and confident enough to begin CrossFit.- She explains the unique considerations surrounding special populations regarding, warming-up, scaling, going heavy, intensity and much more.

- Being a Judge & being a Trainer are not the same thing.- Training for competition & training for long term health & fitness may have some overlap, but there are also differences. - Full range of motion vs. range of motion required to meet a required standard in competition. - Learning a movement may require not meeting full ROM, at least for a while & that’s okay.- Coaches should be clear about what message they are conveying to their athletes & why.- Do not let the movements commonly seen in competitions cloud your judgement regarding what movements you should program & train.

- How are snatches, handstand walking & other movements “functional” if they do not seem to be found in nature or everyday life?- If you repeat a workout & get a faster time, how do you know if you are truly fitter or if you just had a better strategy?- If you don’t PR on a workout does that mean you are less fit or that your training is ineffective?- These & other common questions/concerns are addressed by Adrian & Pat in this episode.

- Adrian & Pat share areas they still struggle with even after doing CrossFit for over 15 years.- Pat talks about challenges with nutrition, overhead positioning, explosive power, external pressure and more.- Adrian shares his ongoing struggles regarding food, sleep, avoiding intensity and difficulty prioritizing his own needs.

- Adrian & Pat explain the benefits of skill sessions.- How to get your athletes to “buy in” to skill sessions.- How frequently should skill sessions be done.- How to work skill sessions & practice into an affiliate’s schedule.

- Adrian & Pat share their thoughts on how to build a garage gym from scratch. - Adrian has a few general concepts to consider before purchasing equipment, such as space available, your level of experience, frequency of use & what to avoid.- Pat & Adrian both discuss their top garage gym items including what is necessary and what would be nice to have.- Whether you live in a one bedroom apartment in a crowded city or have a huge detached garage, this information will help you make smart decisions.

- Part 2 of Pat and Adrian’s interview with Stephane Rochet. - Starting in 1999 Stephane Rochet has worked in strength and conditioning at UCLA, USD, University of Indiana and for the US Navy. - From 2007 until 2014 he was an instructor for CrossFit at their Level One seminars. - The current strength and conditioning environment and culture at the collegiate level is discussed.- Stephane talks about the importance of meeting athletes where they are and how to do it.- Should training for sport be hyper-specialized?- How do you get coaches, schools and programs to welcome CrossFit training?- In-season versus off-season training is discussed.- And much more.

- Part 1 of Pat and Adrian’s interview with Stephane Rochet. - Starting in 1999, Stephane Rochet has worked in strength and conditioning at UCLA, USD, University of Indiana and for the US Navy. - From 2007 until 2014, he was an instructor for CrossFit at their Level One seminars. - The current strength and conditioning environment and culture at the collegiate level is discussed.- Stephane talks about the importance of meeting athletes where they are and how to do it.- Should training for sport be hyper-specialized?- How do you get coaches, schools and programs to welcome CrossFit training?- In-season versus off-season training is discussed.- And much more.

- Part 2 of Pat and Adrian’s interview with Chuck Carswell. - Chuck is a Level 4 CrossFit trainer, a flowmaster and currently heads the CrossFit Scholarship program. - He is a former affiliate owner that has worked over 500 CrossFit seminars all over the world.- Chuck is one of the most influential and well respected figures in CrossFit. - He shares his story, how he got involved with CrossFit and much more.

- Part 1 of Pat and Adrian’s interview with Chuck Carswell.- Chuck is a Level 4 CrossFit trainer, a flowmaster and currently heads the CrossFit Scholarship program. - He is a former affiliate owner that has worked over 500 CrossFit seminars all over the world.- Chuck is one of the most influential and well respected figures in CrossFit. - He shares his story, how he got involved with CrossFit and much more.

- Adrian and Pat go back and forth providing their key areas to focus on regarding sustainability in CrossFit.- Consistency, training volume, motivation, intensity, body maintenance, scaling, and much more is covered.

- How Wes got into CrossFit, joined the CrossFit Seminar staff and opened his affiliate.- Wes credits his coaching staff with the solutions Coast Range CrossFit implemented to serve its community during COVID.- How to ensure your clients are able to get extra care and attention while keeping the group class on schedule.- Wes explains the detailed on-ramp his gym uses to develop a highly professional coaching staff.- Lessons learned during two years of training chronically ill, severely overweight and elderly populations. 

- Internal & external motivations are key factors to keep you interested in working out regardless of what phase of life you are in. - Adrian & Pat share what initially motivated them to begin working out early in life & what has kept them consistent for decades.- Adrian walks through his experience experimenting with classic bodybuilding, kettlebells, & then finding CrossFit.- Pat discusses getting into working out after being an overweight child, training to become a Navy SEAL & then discovering CrossFit. 

- Bryant Powers is a Level 4 CrossFit coach and the owner of CrossFit Oahu. - He has been an affiliate owner since 2006. - He started training outside in a park and grew into a 13,000 square foot facility. - He happily shares his lessons learned as both a trainer and gym owner. 

- A way to categorize and measure progress is given, unrelated to workout times.- Categorizing a beginner, intermediate and advanced athlete.- How each category of athlete can measure their progress.- The importance of consistency.- A brief discussion of the btwb Fitness Level.

- Boz explains the role of the coach is to provide clarification to athletes.- This clarification exists in both the short term and long term sense.- Strip away the unnecessary and focus on what needs to happen today.- Questions and topics from the community are addressed.- A trainer’s struggle to properly instruct the fundamentals to his group class is discussed.- An athlete’s concerns regarding how to improve his pull-ups during class is covered.- The question of “why are we training?” is answered.

-Injuries may occur inside or outside the gym.-We want to keep our athletes working out while being mindful of the injury.-The focus of this episode is not rehab.-How to use an injury as an opportunity to focus on areas you’ve neglected.-Real world examples are given from Adrian & Pat’s life.

-How to structure a Heavy Day in the gym.-Who should lift heavy & how often?-How to warm-up.-How long to rest between lifts.-When to attempt a PR lift.-Avoid the trap of trying to cram too much into a 1 hour class.

-Volume & Intensity, defining our terms.-Why is intensity so important?-How much volume is appropriate?-High intensity should not be confused with maximal intensity.-Track your data to ensure your fitness is trending in the right direction.

-Adrian discusses what defines some of his "best sessions" in the gym.-Every training session should have a focus and a specific desired outcome.-Effectively remove unnecessary elements that distract from the focus of the day.-The importance of honestly assessing if your training is accomplishing your goals.-How adding more training might not help you achieve your goals.-Adrian reveals the most common advice he gives to gym owners and coaches.

-The goals, scope & purpose of the VNR podcast are discussed.-Get to know a bit about Adrian Bozman & Pat Sherwood's background, as well as what motivates them to train.-Why is fitness so important?-Adrian speaks about fitness providing freedom for people.-Knowledge gives you the ability to make fitness happen no matter where you are or what equipment you have.