For nearly a decade, Mike Foster has been helping people become stronger physically, mentally, and spiritually. As the owner of CrossFit 1776 in Loomis, California, and founder of the Resolute Life Foundation, Mike’s mission is bigger than fitness—it’s about freedom.

But before CrossFit became his ministry, Mike was fighting a different battle.

Alcohol had become his coping mechanism. He was physically present for his son, but mentally absent. Everything changed ten years ago when sobriety forced him to confront the man he had become—and challenged him to become the father his children deserved.

In this deeply authentic conversation, Mike and Ned discuss addiction, recovery, CrossFit, parenting teenagers, raising resilient kids, and the life-changing difference between simply being around your children and truly being present with them.

Mike shares how sobriety transformed every area of his life, including one unforgettable moment when he realized his son wasn’t upset about losing a video game—he was carrying wounds that needed a father who could finally slow down long enough to listen.

The conversation explores:

• Why freedom—not fitness—is the real mission behind CrossFit 1776.
• How suffering builds connection between fathers and children.
• The hidden cost of coping mechanisms.
• Why reacting less helps fathers hear more.
• Raising teenagers through trust instead of control.
• What it means to become the kind of man your daughter hopes to marry.
• Breaking generational patterns while honoring your parents.
• How physical training develops emotional resilience.
• Why showing up mentally matters more than simply showing up physically.

Mike also shares one of the most practical parenting ideas of the episode: instead of confronting his teenage son immediately after discovering drug use, he took him on a two-and-a-half-mile run before talking. The shared suffering opened a conversation that punishment alone never could have accomplished.

Whether you’re battling addiction, trying to become more present with your family, raising teenagers, or simply wondering how to lead your children through life’s hardest moments, this episode offers hope, wisdom, and practical fatherhood.

1. How can a father become emotionally present after overcoming addiction?
2. What’s the best way to respond when your teenager makes a serious mistake?
3. How can CrossFit and fitness help men recover from addiction and rebuild their lives?
4. How do fathers earn deeper trust with teenage sons and daughters?
5. What does it really mean to become the father your children deserve?

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Check Out Mike and Crossfit 1776 at:

• https://www.crossfit1776.com

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Check Out the Program Talked About: Genesis by Rise Up Kings

• This episode is sponsored by Genesis - a Rite of Passage by Rise Up Kings
• Order The Adventure of Fatherhood children's book here
• Check out the TEDx

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• www.adventureoffatherhood.com
• www.rebelandcreate.com

Each week Ned sits down with a dad and asks him to open up his field notes and share with other men who find themselves on the Adventure of Fatherhood. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review!

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