Champ Up Chat

After a long hiatus since July 2023, we're back in action! In this episode, we dive into what kept us away, from burnout to a whirlwind of travel and speaking engagements. We also open up about Chris’s major health challenge this past summer—a blood clot scare that led to significant lifestyle changes. Today, we’re focusing on resilience: how small, consistent habits can help us bounce back from life’s toughest moments.

Expect candid discussions on managing stress, using self-talk, and building resilience through intentional daily actions. Plus, we’ll share insights from our new Resilience Report, packed with practical tools for navigating tough times. Whether it’s finding strength in breathwork, redefining goals, or challenging comfort zones, this episode is all about equipping you to keep moving forward, no matter the setbacks.

 

Download the report below and Champ Up!

www.chrisromulo.com/report

“It is such an odd thing to see your father and a stranger wrapped up into one person.”

-unknown

In this week’s episode of Champ Up Chat, we delve into the complex topic of father trauma. Chris shares his personal experience growing up with a physically present but emotionally absent father.

Throughout the conversation, he discusses how his father's behavior affected him and his transformative journey to break the cycle, ultimately becoming a present and involved father myself. Therapy and self-reflection played pivotal roles in his healing process, especially when it came to forgiveness. Being vulnerable and seeking help along the healing path is crucial.

Father trauma comes in many forms and can leave long-lasting effects on individuals, including self-doubt, fear, and low self-esteem. We shed light on the startling rate of children living in single-parent households in the US and delve into global statistics on father absenteeism.

Drawing from Chris’s own journey, he emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and understanding the impact of past trauma, highlighting the need for open conversations on this often-overlooked topic. Chris and Sarah also explore the connection between trauma and addiction, particularly within high-impact sports like fighting.

Chris shares his personal story of how he immersed myself in the world of fighting, initially using it as a means to further suppress his pain. Fighting changed his life for the better; however, he had to confront those suppressed feelings when he retired, ultimately discovering the significance of not allowing trauma to define one's identity.

Additionally, Chris and Sarah discuss the current role many of us face in helping our aging parents, a responsibility that can bring up unresolved emotions from our past.

So, join us in this episode of Champ Up Chat as we delve into the depths of father trauma, exploring its impact and embarking on a journey of healing and understanding. Get ready for an honest and insightful conversation that sheds light on this important issue.

If you grew up in a alcoholic or dyfunctional family and and you've been looking to find a way out of the dark: https://adultchildren.org/

Send in any questions that you might have for our next Q&A episode!!

Hit us up at: @alignwithsarah @chris.romulo.crom 

or email: [email protected]

Thanks for listening...Champ Up

Welcome to another exciting episode of Champ Up Chat! In today's installment, we delve into an unexpected aspect of Muay Thai as we explore Chris's greatest frustrations as a competitor, referee, and coach. Brace yourself, because it might not be what you're anticipating!

Prepare for some cringe-worthy moments as we, as fitness pros and entrepreneurs, open up about our most embarrassing blunders. It takes courage to acknowledge our mistakes, but hey…it's a crucial part of our personal AND professional growth journey.

Weight management and the practice of weight cutting for the ring are on the menu today. We shed light on the lesser-known reality that being an athlete doesn't always result in a healthy relationship with food.

We also dive deep into the questions you've submitted, providing us with some thought-provoking discussions and uncovering hidden gems of goodness..Keep em coming, folks!

Don't forget to subscribe and share this podcast with your friends and family who crave authentic conversations about mindset, personal growth, wellness, and, of course, the inevitable failures we encounter along the way. Because that's what the Champ Up way is all about!

Send us any of your burning questions to: @chris.romulo.crom or @alignwithsarah

Episode 54

Sarah and I are back on today with our new Champ Up Chat Q&A session. We took a few questions from you guys and gave our best thoughts and insights on how to address whatever challenges that you might be facing.  We dive into putting our peers on pedestals, pre-fight tactics, confidence through competence, and listening to our bodies especially when it comes to nutrition and sleep.

We are decdicated to sharing our fight tips, mindset strategies and health and wellness tactics that will keep you on your champion lifestyle mission. 

Send us your burning Q's for our next Q&A sesh:

https://www.instagram.com/alignwithsarah/

https://www.instagram.com/chris.romulo.crom/

Download Sarah's FREE playbook and get ready to create more energy and better health with less overwhelm and confusion: https://www.sarahromulo.com/playbook

 

 

Episode 53

Today, our guest is Eddie "Silky Smooth" Abasolo, a passionate fighter who has been through it all and truly emodoies the Fall 7 times, Stand up 8 philosophy. Eddie shares his unique perspective on what it takes to succeed in the fight game, covering everything from perseverance to sacrifice. 

Amateur record: 12-1

IKF World Championship

IKF West Coast Classic

IKF US Champion

CA Champion

IKF West Coast Champion

WCK/IAMTF Champion

 

PROFESSIONAL RECORD: 14-4

WBC Intercontinental Champion

MTG Champion

Triumphant World Champion

WMC Champion

WBC Nai Khanom Tom

 

Throughout this episode, we dive into Eddie's life and hear about his experiences with fighting, his quest for success, and his mindset as a fighter. We talk about his first time stepping over the top ropes and being abandoned by his team. Eddie persevered through it all and learned lessons that helped him grow as a fighter, a person and a family man. He also emphasizes the importance of having a strong support system, in order to achieve success in the fight game and beyond.

Eddie's story is a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and heart.

By sharing his experiences on Champ Up Chat, our goal is to inspire you and others who are on their own journey to success, while exhibiting the grit and perseverance that true champions possess.

Tune in to hear more about Eddie's incredible journey and what it takes to become a champion in the world of Muay Thai and life, on Champ Up Chat with Eddie "Silky Smooth" Abasolo.

Give him a follow @eddie_abasolo_show

We will be starting a Q&A episode, so please send us any questioms to:

@chris.romulo.crom or @alignwithsarah

We will answer and share any questions anonomusly or not, let us know what you prefer.

Living as a champion isn't for the chosen few. Living as a champion is for the few that choose.

Champ Up

Ep 52- How To Smile No Matter What

Sarah took the day off so that I could chat with an individual who is the epitome of what it means to live as a champion, John Esposito Jr.

 

On December 20th, 2021, John met his fate in an accident at work that changed his life forever.

 

So on today’s episode of Champ Up Chat, John shares his near-death experience and how he navigates everyday to keep taking steps toward recovery.

 

We talk about the importance of finding positives and moving forward, no matter how many times life tries to knock us out. 

 

Stay tuned as John shares his advice for his high school self with the current experiences and knowledge he has on what it takes to live each day as a champion. 

 

Please share this episode to anyone that might need some powerful word to keep moving forward in their life and to reach out to John to send some love:

 

@jespo625

We took almost a year off and completely missed sitting in the dungeon and sharing the Champ Up word!

 

We share what it's like to shadowbox on the altar, breakdance with a bunch of 5th graders, and eat like ya mean it, amongst lots of other cool stuff. 

 

Listen in and hit us up to let us know who you want to see us interivew in this upcoming season of Champ Up Chat at:

 

@alignwithsarah

@chris.romulo.crom

We took almost a year off and completely missed sitting in the dungeon and sharing the Champ Up word!

 

We share what it's like to shadowbox on the altar, breakdance with a bunch of 5th graders, and eat like ya mean it, amongst lots of other cool stuff. 

 

Listen in and hit us up to let us know who you want to see us interivew in this upcoming season of Champ Up Chat at:

 

@alignwithsarah

@chris.romulo.crom

Welcome to Episode 50 of Champ Up Chat!

Being a champion isn't for the chosen few. Being a champion is for the few that choose.

In this episode, Sarah and I talked about how self-talk has created your reality and guides your subconscious. Then we turn self-talk into actions, whether it is anabolic or catabolic.

We all hold ourselves back because of our fear, anxiety and undesirable thoughts of; "what might go wrong?", you want you to rephrase your thoughts into; "what might be the best thing that could happen?"

Establish your self-talk by setting up boundaries and creating a daily routine of flippin' the script.

One way to start is by writing down your affirmations. This technique will help you improve the way you think about yourself and you will notice how it changes your energy to Champ Up!

On December 20th, 2021, John Esposito was working on a highway construction crew. While standing in front of a trailer, a car careened into the work area. It slammed into John and pinned him against the trailer, instantly and irrevocably changing his life. Lucky to survive it, John underwent multiple surgeries and had both legs amputated above the knees.   Not one to be deterred, John returned to the gym six months later and has continued to be a source of inspiration to everyone he meets.   At first, he used his wheelchair to throw hands with us all. Not content with rest or self-pity, his fighting spirit remains unbroken.   John has recently been fitted for prosthetics with the goal of one day walking again. That day is September 24th, 2022. Nine months since the accident.   John is training for our fundraising event on September 24th where he will join us at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside, NJ; 9:00 am. Our group will be hiking 3.5 miles, training together and then grilling up with great food & great people.   100% of proceeds will go directly to John, and if you do wish to make a tax deductible donation, a receipt from our 501c3 organization will be provided to you.   Contributions will go towards his recovery costs in the coming months & years. If you or a business you know would like to become an individual or corporate sponsor, please contact me directly.   John is the guy who people love talking to. His natural warm, and welcoming presence extends to every newcomer in the gym. His laid-back, pleasant nature was only put on hold during his ferocious ring performances. His goal is to pay it forward and contribute to the next generation, which has been our organization’s goal since day one.   Fighting is the loneliest sport in the world, but we’re letting our brother know that he isn’t alone on his journey. We’re all in his corner.

Contact [email protected] for more info or feel free to donate to…

https://gofund.me/78f2e483

Champ Up

Chris and Sarah

 

"A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. A goal is what specifically you intend to make happen. Dreams and goals should be just out of your present reach but not out of sight. Dreams and goals are coming attractions in your life."

-Joseph Campbell

Last episode we talked about vision boarding, where you could put pictures of your dreams and goals on your wall, phone or desktop and how this exercise could change the game on manifesting your destiny, vision or quality of life.

In today’s episode Sarah and I continue to discuss more about vision and how it not just about looking at those pics on a daily basis. We talk about it takes actually getting up out of your seat and setting your goals in motion with action.

Once we have set up our vision, solidifies our purpose, and established the WHY that’s when the "action" board starts to kick in.

The action board is based on seeing your destination and taking the steps to get there. You don't always have to know "how" you will get there before you start, but start with one small step and you will create the "how" along the way.

Listen in and...

Champ Up

Chris and Sarah

PS

We challenge you to post your "action" board pic on social media and tag @chris.romulo.com you'll automatically be entered into a raffle to win a FREE 1:1 Vision Building Session with either one of us to put massive action into your life.