Imagine burning calories hours after your workout ends. Welcome to Pack Mentality, where today we’re unlocking the secrets of EPOC—Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or fitness enthusiast, mastering the science behind the “afterburn effect” can take your training to the next level.

In this episode, we’ll break down:

-What EPOC is and why it matters.

-The physiological processes that keep you torching calories post-exercise.

-Key factors like intensity, duration, and lean muscle mass that amplify EPOC.

-Actionable workout strategies to maximize your results.

We’ll bust common myths and give you practical tips to implement today. Ready to level up your training? Hit play.

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

This podcast episode from Pack Mentality focuses on strength in community and fitness as a coping mechanism for personal loss, featuring guest Eva, a long-time Red Wolf CrossFit member and new coach. The conversation revolves around Eva’s inspiring journey through grief, following the loss of both her parents at a young age, and how fitness has played a pivotal role in her healing process.

Key topics include:

Eva’s Story: Her background as a competitive swimmer, the emotional challenges of losing both her parents to cancer, and how these experiences shaped her reliance on fitness.

The Role of Red Wolf CrossFit: How the gym provided a supportive community, allowing Eva to process her grief and feel genuinely connected.

Fitness as Healing: Eva shares insights on how physical activity helped her emotionally, alongside practical advice for others facing difficulties, such as starting small and focusing on daily achievements like “making your bed.”

Evolution and Growth: Eva’s shift from swimming to CrossFit, her passion for Olympic lifting, and her journey toward becoming a strength coach.

The episode concludes with advice for listeners on building resilience, the importance of community, and finding healthy ways to cope with life’s challenges. It emphasizes the mental and physical benefits of fitness while promoting personal growth and connection.

In this episode Matt talks about the difference between fitness methodologies and principles.

Learn why jumping from program to program often leads to plateaus and how understanding the core principles of fitness can help you create a lasting, personalized fitness journey.

From defining methodologies and principles to tailoring programs based on goals and real-world examples, Matt breaks it all down with actionable advice.

Matt and Caitlin dive deep into one of the most overlooked areas of CrossFit training: upper back strength.

Discover why a strong upper back is essential for progressing from novice to RX-level athlete and how it directly impacts performance in movements like pull-ups, deadlifts, Olympic lifts, and presses.

They break down foundational exercises, programming tips, and accessory movements to level up your strength and stability.

Whether you’re struggling with gymnastics, barbell movements, or overall shoulder health, this episode has everything you need to know to train smarter and achieve your goals.

Over the past 12 years of owning a gym, I’ve discovered that success isn’t about shortcuts or flashy achievements. It’s about mastering the rhythm of growth. In this episode, I share the 12 lessons that have shaped my journey as a gym owner, coach, and leader in fitness.

Here’s what we’ll uncover:

• How cadence—not just consistency—fuels sustainable progress in fitness and life.

• The foundational role of an aerobic base in building performance.

• Why scaling isn’t just a tool—it’s the pathway for clients of all levels.

• The irreplaceable strength found in a tight-knit community and shared accountability.

• Navigating setbacks with adaptability and turning challenges into opportunities for growth.

Whether you’re a coach, gym owner, or someone chasing their own fitness journey, these lessons reveal how to thrive. Join me as I unpack 12 years of wisdom that’s transformed lives and built something greater than a gym.

RED WOLF CROSSFIT | CrossFit Gym In Huntington Beach, CA

Matt Banwart (@redwolfmatt) • Instagram photos and videos

Struggling to stay consistent with your health goals during the holidays? In this episode, we take a deep dive into practical strategies for maintaining healthy habits and balanced nutrition, even amidst holiday chaos. Learn how to protect your routine from disruptions, enjoy “fun” meals without guilt, and navigate the emotional and social pressures of the season. From habit stacking and mindful eating to meal timing and stress management, we’ve got you covered.

Whether you’re hosting, traveling, or just trying to survive the whirlwind of festivities, this episode will give you actionable tools to stay on track and thrive through the holidays.

Join host Matt as he sits down with Rudy Mayorga, an 11-year veteran of Red Wolf CrossFit and retired Santa Ana Police Officer. Rudy shares his incredible fitness journey, recounting how CrossFit not only transformed his approach to exercise but also saved his life after a near-fatal accident. Through gripping stories and life lessons, Rudy discusses the pivotal role fitness plays in his daily life and the powerful mental and physical resilience he’s built over the years. This episode is a testament to the life-changing impact of fitness, community, and pushing past personal limits.

In this episode we dive deep into one of the most essential lifts in any strength training routine—the back squat. Whether you’re stuck at a 1RM plateau or looking to improve endurance and muscle growth, we’ve got you covered. Matt shares actionable strategies to help you push past your limits and level up your squat game.

We’ll explore how squat variations, targeted accessory work, and techniques like cluster sets that can help you finally break through that plateau. Learn how to build endurance with tempo squats, high-rep back-off sets, and circuits to boost your overall work capacity. Plus, we’ll discuss how to target and tone your glutes and hamstrings for muscle growth while gaining overall strength with progressive overload and structured strength phases.

Key Topics:

• Breaking 1RM Plateaus

• Building Squat Endurance

• Glute & Hamstring Hypertrophy

• Progressive Overload & Periodization for Strength

RED WOLF CROSSFIT | CrossFit Gym In Huntington Beach, CA

Matt Banwart (@redwolfmatt) • Instagram photos and videos

In this episode, we dive into why fitness isn’t just a Monday-to-Friday grind. Real progress comes from maintaining a consistent routine, even on the weekends. We’ll explore how weekend workouts reinforce healthy habits, keep your metabolism burning, and help you avoid the pitfalls of inactivity. Plus, find out why taking the weekend off can undo your progress and make it harder to reset on Monday.

RED WOLF CROSSFIT | CrossFit Gym In Huntington Beach, CA

Matt Banwart (@redwolfmatt)

In this episode, Matt sits down with Yvette Mayorga, an 11-year veteran of Red Wolf CrossFit. Yvette shares her inspiring fitness journey, from overcoming her initial intimidation of CrossFit to becoming a role model for her family.

She opens up about the challenges and triumphs of staying committed to a fitness lifestyle, how it has shaped her family’s dynamic, and the pride she feels watching her children embrace the same values. Tune in for a heartwarming conversation about dedication, community, and the impact of fitness on family life.